Don't Forget About Me
by sevenpuddings
Summary: Six teenagers. Six opposites. Six individuals. Stuck in detention together for eight hours. What will occur? Drama, tension, tears and laughter. My very own Summer Bay High Breakfast Club
1. Chapter 1: Detention

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Enjoy.

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter One: Detention_

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_Friendships are fickle things. On the surface they can seem so strong, but underneath, they are just waiting to fall apart._

_There are those who are your friends by default. You might of run in the same crowds at school, use the same shampoo or eye shadow, or you might have gone to graffiti the same wall, or played an online game of Dungeons and Dragons against them and wound up being friends._

_You believe are friends because it's the easiest thing to do. _

_For you, for everyone else._

_But then, there are friendships that are destined to be made. That you have no control over, because fate has made it so. They've been planned from the very beginning. Friendships that transcend all space and time. _

_You're looking at me like I'm crazy. We're all a little crazy at times; I'll admit that. But you should believe me. There are such friendships in the world that are destined to be made. _

_Traveling one foot in front of the other will begin the journey, but some journeys are already planned, just like these friendships._

_You don't believe me? You'll see. It happened to me, not so very long ago. I swear that's the honest truth._

_Still don't believe me? Fine, together we'll tell you the story. But I'll warn you; it might get a little jumbled along the way, because we all have a little something different in our own story._

_We either started out as enemies or ignorant persons. Which one it really was, well, none of us are certain of that. _

_But we together we ended up bound as one group._

_We started out as a teen queen, a jerk, a psycho, a cynic, a geek and a bad boy. _

_We ended up friends for life._

_And this is our story._

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I was doubled over in fits of laughter when I heard the evil silence that was my friends deserting me. Apparently human rats desert sinking ships too.

"Well, well, well Mr. Hunter, what do we have here?" I heard the cold, hard voice of our wonderful Principle Mr. Hyde say from behind me.

Turning around, I smiled charmingly at him.

"Well sir, you see…"

"Save it. I have my own set of eyes Mr. Hunter, and am in no mood for your tales. I can see for myself exactly what is going on here. Despite your beliefs, I am not a moron."

It was like he was reading my mind. Very freakish.

"No of course you aren't sir. But if you just let me explain, there is a perfectly good reason for what is going on just now." I said, in the hopes of getting him to listen to me while I lied through my teeth to him.

Alas, no luck.

"I don't want to hear it. I'm sick of the children in this school and your overused excuses. So we're trying something new this year. Saturday detention. From nine till five. There's a trial run this Saturday, and you, Mr. Hunter are the first to make the cut." Hyde finished, smirking at me.

"But I have things to do on Saturday Sir." I began to complain "Can't we just give the normal afternoon one a shot?" I finished, almost pleadingly.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hunter." Hyde said with mock sympathy "But you'll be here at nine on Saturday, or else." He finished cryptically, pointing in the direction of my first period class as I sulked before walking off.

Well, I thought, this is well and truly fucked.

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Standing alone, I looked out across the football field. There was no one in sight. Thank god. It was first period so of course there wasn't anyone around.

Every one of the goody two shoes that went to this school had gone off to class minutes _before_ the bell, and the slackers wouldn't hang out here. They would be in the toilets, or in the dark corners of the school walkways.

Putting my headphones into my ears, I sat down against the tree trunk and chewed on a fingernail that had recently been painted black, absentmindedly tapping the drum beat to the song that was playing with my other hand.

Closing my eyes, I breathed in, ready to fall into a nice sleep when I felt a hand roughly tapping me on my shoulder. Pulling a headphone out, I twisted my head and looked up, ready to tell whoever it was to 'piss off', when I met the steady, beady gaze of none other than Hyde.

"Can I help you?" I asked, staring up at him, unfazed by the complete anger in his eyes.

"Yes, I'd like to inquire as to why you're outside instead of IN CLASS like your other class mates?" Hyde asked rather sarcastically.

Choosing to ignore the sarcasm, I shrugged before turning around; preparing to put my headphone back in before replying quickly "Didn't feel like it."

Suddenly I was pulled into a standing position, my MP3 lying broken on the ground.

"That's it. I've had enough of your problems young lady. I'm sick of your 'why bother' attitude and your blatant disregard for anyone who has power in this school. You have a date with detention on Saturday, where your attitude will be changed. Otherwise, that's the end of schooling for you." Hyde yelled into my face.

Shaken, I nodded mutely before walking over the oval towards class.

One thing was for sure, I was not looking forward to spending Saturday with that arrogant dick head.

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"But I'm innocent." I pleaded to Hyde. It was almost groveling. I was desperate. I couldn't let anything stuff up my future. Especially not a stupid misunderstanding, where I was just an innocent bystander.

"Like hell you are Lucas Holden. You were caught red handed, and you want me to believe you just… stumbled onto this?" Hyde yelled.

God, how thick could this man be? I was a straight A student with an impeccable record. I stayed out of trouble, ran the student council and did everything to keep myself out of the way of events like this. All the other teachers were aware of my aptitude and good behaviour.

But here Hyde was, yelling at me as if I was the Eric Dalby of the school. There was only room for one moron in this place. And like I would ever want to be a no hope loser like him.

I could feel the anger boiling up inside of me. I had this problem with anger. I tolerated everything, It went with the good boy code. But every so often, I had to let it out. And this was becoming one of those times, as I saw Hyde continue to fume, staring right at me.

"You mean like you did?" I retorted, my anger finally getting the better of me.

"If you are trying to improve your case, you are going the wrong way about it" Hyde threatened "Mocking will get you nowhere."

"I wasn't mocking sir," I said quickly "I was simply…"

But I didn't even get near finishing.

"Now you're trying to correct me? Tell me_ I'm _wrong? I'll see you on Saturday morning for detention Holden. Now get to class." Hyde finished angrily before stalking away.

Sighing, I turned defeated and walked away.

Honestly, I'd never put a foot wrong in my life, and now Hyde was blaming me for everything that had happened this morning.

Life sucked.

I was on my way out of this hellhole, headed to somewhere where I would be understood. Where I would be accepted and not picked on, nor surrounded by blonde bimbos and athletic jocks. I just had to keep my head down and my grades up.

Apparently that was not as easy as once thought.

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"You know what this means, don't you Mr. Dalby?" Hyde asked me in his sarcastic, patronising tone.

Staring up to meet his gaze, I glared back at him before smiling mockingly and answering in a singsong voice "I guess it means I won't be handing in my slip for school captain selection. Darn it, I was so looking forward to being a well liked, upstanding, wholesome representative of this fine establishment you're running here."

"Your lack of concern about the situation you've placed yourself in amazes me Mr. Dalby. Don't you care about your education at all?" Hyde asked, feigning concern. "Then again, why should you? You've obviously got no talent, nor any future ahead of you either." He finished telling me, with all the malice and hate he could muster coming through with those words.

My hands curled up into balls as I felt the anger rising within me. It took all the strength I had not to lash out and knock Hyde out.

One punch would've been all it took. He would've been flat on his back. And I would've had the power then.

Hyde smirked as he looked at my curled fists. That was exactly what he wanted. A real, true reason for me to be expelled. And for him to be right about me, and my lack of future.

Well he wasn't going to get that satisfaction. Not from me.

As soon as he realised this, blood rushed to his face in anger as he barked "Detention. Saturday. You're mine." Before walking away,

As he turned the corner, I screamed out in frustration and punched the wall in anger, imagining it to be his face.

A whole day with Hyde to taunt and mock me. To rile me up and tear me down infront of other people.

That was the last thing I needed.

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Laughing to myself as I rounded the corner in an empty hallway, I began to write Jamie back a message about the most adorable shoes I had picked up at the sale when I looked up, only to stop dead in my tracks.

Still seething from an earlier encounter with one of the many social misfits our school had to offer, was Hyde, who was standing directly infront of me, his face red with anger.

The once hated (and still hated, actually) Principle of Summer Bay High. A barely tolerable hell, if you were me.

Smiling sweetly at him, I was hoping to escape this chance meeting unharmed, or with as minimal punishment as possible.

And to do that, I was simply going to have to lie.

Thankfully, sweet little innocent white lies is what I did best in this world, along with shopping and accessorising.

"Principle Hyde, sir. I was just on my way to the sick bay. I was in history, when all of a sudden I felt faint and headachy. Mr. Smith insisted I go, even though I tired to stay. You know how much I'd hate to miss any of my classes. But he wouldn't have it. So here I am. On my way there. If I could just keep going, I'm feeling rather peaky and wretched" I said, dramatically, holding a hand to my forehead and looking up towards him.

"Can it, Hunter. You now have a date with me. Saturday morning. Nine am sharp. Detention." Hyde smirked evilly before walking away.

Ugh. Who the hell is even awake at nine on a Saturday morning? This is so very unfair. Like I'm actually going to do this. Mum will get me out of this. She has to.

The last place I'm going to be on Saturday morning is detention.

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_Could this day get any duller? _I thought to myself, as Mrs. White, my science teacher droned on and on about something or other.

The only reason I even bothered to turn up was because anywhere else was better than home. That was my own personal hell. Compared to home, school was heaven. There were no hidden horrors here. All the horrors were out in the open, for everyone to see.

I looked around, before rolling my eyes at how clueless the teacher actually was when it came to what was occurring under her very nose in this classroom.

Lucas was up the front, giving his undivided attention to her words as usual, despite the fact he probably knew more about the subject than she did.

Cassie had her music blaring in the back corner, her hands flashing black painted nails every now and then as she continued to draw or sketch or whatever it was she did.

The resident school jerks (Aka Athletic buff guys who actually _played_ sport), including the infamous Henry Hunter, were mucking around rather loudly making wisecrack comments every time the teacher said something. Essentially trying to be witty, but to the few intellectual minds in the room, they were simply making bigger fools of themselves.

Resident bad boy and all round asshole Dalby had announced himself earlier by walking in late, slamming the door, then swearing under his breath for a whole ten minutes after.

Matilda, Henry's twin sister, and the Princess of the school had entered much like Dalby, but with a hint of class and elegance. She had sat next to Henry, and was laughing in her own Princess like manner every time they said something. Idiots.

The saddest thing was that people worshipped the ground she walked on. People actually believed she was cool, I thought, snickering to myself, louder than intended, which somehow managed to catch the teachers attention.

"Is there something you'd like to share with the class Miss. Taylor?" she asked. I hate it when teachers ask questions that they know the answer to.

"No Mrs. White. You're doing more than enough sharing for the both of us." I replied, sarcasm dripping from my voice, knowing it would go unnoticed by most of the fools in this class.

Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed by Mrs. White.

"That's enough of that attitude young lady." She replied, getting rather annoyed.

"What attitude?" I began, feigning innocence. "I simply meant that you'd been preaching, I mean, teaching enough for the both of us." I finished, smirking at her.

Not the smartest thing to do, as it turned out.

Her face turned red, a mixture of anger and embarrassment, before she began yelling.

I missed most of it; it was all too amusing, finally seeing her yell at someone.

But then I caught the words 'detention' and 'all day Saturday.'

Groaning to myself, I realised what I'd done.

I really needed to learn to keep my mouth shut. Opening it never did any good. Only bad.

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AN: And its started. I wrote another chapter for it. Then decided I hated it. So this is all I've got for now. I hope I distinguished between the characters enough for you. Hate it? Love it? Confused the heck out of you? Please review and tell me. It makes me a better writer.


	2. Chapter 2: Saturday

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Have fun. 

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Two: Saturday_

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Groaning, I looked up to see Summer Bay High School looming, like a prison, in the distance. Taking a sip from my coffee that I had forced Mum to pull over and get me, I went over again in my mind, that of all the cruel punishments in the world, this _has_ to be the worst.

"Mum" I whined, "Mum this is so unfair. I didn't even do anything _that_ wrong, but I have to give up a whole Saturday for punishment. Isn't there something you could do? There's got to be something!" I pleaded, pulling my best puppy dog eyes and pout as she looked into the rear view mirror at me.

She sighed before pulling into the school's parking lot, just in time for me to see school's resident social misfit Cassie Turner walking across the oval, and absolute bad boy Eric Dalby walking into the school. _Early_, it would appear. I really didn't fit in here, let alone belong here. They would tear me to shreds.

Mum looked between Henry and I before sighing again, saying, "Look, there is nothing I can do about this. Your principle was very adamant that those who had been given Saturday detention deserved it. I'm sorry Matilda honey, but your just going to have to do this." She looked old and defeated, and I really hated the fact that we'd done this to her. But I was still angry.

"I don't belong here, with future criminals and psycho ward patients. I'm not a delinquent." I said firmly, looking Mum in the eyes.

"And what, I am?" Henry asked from the front seat, staring at me hard, as if I had the nerve to add him into that category.

"No, what I'm just saying is that you did something worse than cut to go shopping Henry." I said sweetly and calmly. "I couldn't miss the sale Mum. There were half price shoes. So much more significant than the decline of Egyptian culture in the ancient world." I finished, hoping, praying that Mum would have a change of heart and let me stay home.

"I'll be here at five. Behave yourselves." Mum said sounding truly defeated.

Henry gave Mum a kiss on the cheek before opening his door and stepping outside.

I wasn't going to be as nice.

"Dad would have never let this happen." I said, glaring icily at her before stepping out of the car and slamming the door behind me, then taking a swig of my coffee, to dull both the anger and nerves I felt.

I was finished. I couldn't get out of this. I was going to have to spend a whole Saturday at school.

Life was so cruel sometimes.

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Matilda joined me on the pavement after her harsh exchange with Mum. I looked at her, wanting her to say something but she simply shrugged at me, pretending that she didn't know what she'd done that was so wrong.

It all boiled down to one simple fact. She was a brat. A spoiled brat. And most of that had been Dad's doing. He gave everything to his baby princess, and now he was gone, Matilda had begun to see life for what it really was. A reality had sunk in. One in which she didn't get her was so much any more. One that she wasn't quite enjoying as much as the fake one Dad had created for her.

However, despite all this, she missed Dad more than anything in this world, sometimes, I thought more than anyone else did too. Despite her snotty exterior, she was still really torn up about his death. Not that she would ever admit to this, but deep down we both knew why she acted the way she did. This way, she could pretend like he was still around.

"Henry" she said quietly from beside me "You won't leave me, will you?"

"Oh but what I did was worse, remember? I belong here with future felons and basket-cases" I deadpanned, hoping to get a rise out of her.

And there it was.

I turned to face her and found a shocked expression on her face, which was quickly replaced by her normal, composed face as she calmed herself once more.

"Oh don't be so silly Henry. I didn't mean it. You will look after me, won't you?" She said, showing an inch of her vulnerability.

"Yeah, yeah, of course I will sis." I replied, half hugging her before we stepped into the building, walking down the hallway towards the library.

"Good, because you never know what I might catch being in a room with such people." Matilda said airily, as if she was the queen and everyone else were peasants.

Then again, in this highschool, Matilda was queen. She was the pretty princess of the school, and no one or nothing could tear her down from the throne.

That's what I believed at two past nine that morning any way.

Sometimes, some things just happen though.

And things began to just happen as soon as we reached the library door and entered, finding ourselves face to face with four of the most (well in some cases) unlikely suspects to be sharing detention with.

But then again, Matilda and I didn't exactly belong in detention either.

Beside me, Matilda groaned after her eyes scanned the room, as she delicately placed herself in a seat in the front row. Sitting down next to her, we waited only a few moments before Hyde announced his presence as he usually, does, by storming in angrily.

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Just fucking great. If my day wasn't going to be just super peachy keen listening to bad boy Dalby fight with Hyde, teen queen Matilda Hunter and her super stud, super athlete, super jerk brother Henry just entered my line of vision.

Now I was going to have to listen to her moaning and bitching _a l l d a y l o n g_.

And believe me. Her being in the same room as you for _an hour_ was enough to drive a girl mad. Try eight hours one day, you see wait and see how much fun you have.

"Hey, you there in the back…" I heard a voice coming from the front say.

Looking up, I saw that Hyde was, in fact, addressing me… well, kind of.

"I have a name." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well I don't recall hearing it. Why don't you tell me again?" Hyde snapped.

That man doesn't miss a beat does he, I thought to myself dryly.

"Touchy, touchy. Belle Taylor sir. My name is Belle Taylor." I said slowly, sounding out my name, mocking him.

"Well Belle" Hyde said, mimicking my own action "you're to pay attention as I address the group."

"Whatever" I said under my breath. But my eyes stayed locked on his. I wasn't afraid of the ass.

"The rules are simple. No talking, no moving, no sleeping. Sit still and quiet all day. Mull over with your puny brains what you did wrong to end up here, and whether you'll be making that same mistake again. If I hear any noise coming from in here, each and every one of you will be in here for another Saturday detention next week. Is that understood?" Hyde finished, almost yelling by this stage.

Dalby saluted him as if her were an Army sergeant giving orders to his men.

I almost cracked up laughing.

Everyone else nodded mutely.

I rolled my eyes as Hyde stalked out the door, slamming the door behind him. Fat lot of good his rules were, he couldn't even hear us with that door shut. How would he catch us if we moved or spoke? Fool.

I began to settle myself, lying my head down onto my bag and closing my eyes before I heard a slightly strangled noise coming from near the queen. Opening one eye to see if the fuss was coming because she broke a nail, I opened both immediately and sat bolt upright when I saw Dalby cornering her.

Now, this should be fairly interesting.

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"Aww" I said, forcing myself between the queenie and her jerk brother. "Princess is stuck in detention with a bunch of social misfits.

What's she going to do all day without her best friends?

Without anyone to do hair and make-up with, to paint one another's nails.

No one to gossip with, and talk about petty matters that only seem to matter to her and not anyone else.

She might just fade away into nothing, because no one is watching her, no one is caring about every single damn move she makes." I said, putting my hand closer to her face, reaching out to stroke her face.

"Watch it dick head" growled her brother from behind me, as the Queen slapped my hand away before cowering in fear after I shot her an angry look.

"Or what?" I said, standing up to face him.

"Or you'll be beaten to a pulp before you can move a meter." He said in his best terminator voice.

Her voice came from the corner of the tables. Up the back. She was the one Hyde had addressed.

"Like you'd actually have the guts to do it. Jerk."

She was sitting cross-legged in her seat, her chin resting on her hands, which were resting on her bag, which had been punked out with badges.

"She speaks." I said, cocking my head to one side and wondering whether she would speak some more.

Unfortunately, instead, the brainless wonder began to speak.

"I would do it in a second Belle. I'd just rather save Dalby here the humiliation, and you ladies the horror."

Rolling her eyes, she muttered a 'yeah, right' under her breath before turning away to face the wall on the opposite side.

Maybe I should go to class more often, I thought momentarily before remembering what I had been doing.

Taking my chance, I sat down in Henry's vacant seat and turned to face the darling Princess.

"Don't even bother." She said as I opened my mouth. "After today I'll never have to look at you again. You're nothing to me, and nothing in my world. You're insignificant in the general scheme of things, unlike me. That's why I don't care. Because I matter, and you don't." she finished, looking away before there was a snort of laughter from behind us.

Matilda showed a shocked impression fleetingly before turning to glare at the emo geek of this weeks detention and the all round brain of the school, Lucas Holden. Grade A dork, and all round suck-up to the many teachers in our school.

I'd have been surprised if he'd had the guts to breathe while in the queens' presence, let alone snort at one of the many, many stupid comments that managed to fly continuously out of her mouth.

It appeared that more than just two of us were fed up with the perfect, immaculate Hunter twins who believed that they ran this school.

And my day just got a little damn better.

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Sooo… not exactly the best way to get on her side, I thought as she continued to glare at me. I'm not doing very well for myself these days.

But I couldn't help it. Some things just needed to be said.

"You're just so full of yourself." I blurted out as my thoughts collected themselves.

Her expression went from shocked to icy, and if looks could kill I would've hit the floor the moment she turned.

Woops.

Fortunately, Dalby, who thought this was too hilarious for words, was laughing so hard next to her, that he was taking up everyone else's attention, taking it away from me.

Except hers. Our eyes remained locked. Her's becoming small slits as the glare became harder, mine waiting, willing her to rebut, to refute my statement. To pick a fight.

"I'm not full of myself, kid. I'm honest. There is no one in this school like Henry and me. We're it. You can't help what just is." She said, looking down, then back up into my blue eyes.

Groaning, I thought for a second. The confrontation was inevitable. But for now I could delay it for a while.

"There is. You just told take the time to bother noticing them." I said, breaking the gaze and staring out the window on my left. I heard Matilda huffing and puffing angrily to the side of me, but I continued to ignore it, much to Dalby's disappointment.

Matilda was Princess of the school. That was true. But she wasn't defined by her popularity. People could very easily live without her. She just had her head too far up her ass to care about what other people really thought. It was like she existed in her own little world where only she mattered. As if she was still at boarding school with the snobs.

I was considered a no one by Henry and Matilda Hunter. Probably considered a no one by the others in this room too. Because of how I dressed. Because of the music I listened to. Or simply because I cared about school and grades.

But I also considered them nothing to me. I would not be intimidated by the Queen or the Jerk brother, or the Bad Boy Dalby, Psycho Belle or Punk… what was her name?

They were considered no ones by me. That was how highschool worked. We all lived in ignorance about ourselves, and others. I was so sure of myself thought. I'd have backed my views with anything I owned, knowing that eventually, everyone else could see the truth too.

Even if it was just these five strangers, sitting in detention with me

_Especially her_, I thought, considering Matilda once more. She was so sure of herself too. Maybe Dalby will bring her down a notch or two. Then I'd be able to bring her down even more.

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_I'm sitting amongst planet dero, planet bone-head, planet bad boy, planet dork and planet 'the world revolves around me'_, I thought to myself, turning further away from whatever conversation was occurring and turning my music up louder.

How does one handle being in love with themselves _that_ much? I wondered silently as Nirvana's '_Smells like teen spirit_' filled my ears. Snorting softly at the irony of the situation and the song that had just come on, I sang along softly with the lyrics, escaping momentarily from this hell hole.

My own personal teenage hell.

I didn't belong no matter where I was. Whether it was here, with the snotty princess ruling, or at home, with my perfect little over achiever sister whom my parents worshipped. I was a misfit. A social outcast. Plain and simple.

I didn't belong, nor did I try to belong.

They all had their own cliques that they belonged to. They were all brainwashed by their own beliefs of vanity.

And I was the rejected. The leftover.

Maybe it was the vivid purple streaks in my hair. Maybe it was the dark make-up covering my eyes. Maybe it was my wristbands, my black stockings, my red Doc Martins.

Maybe it was a combination of these things, or none at all. Maybe it was simply because they were scared of the unfamiliar. They were scared of me, and what I represented. Of chaos and anarchy in their perfect little planned worlds.

The truth was, I was also a little scared to.

I was terrified of the queens' perky world…

…of the jerks athletic world…

…of the dorks brainy world…

…of the bad boys criminal world…

…and of Miss Silent Type's world, as she mocked and rolled her eyes in all appropriate moments.

I was afraid she would share something similar to me, something similar to my own world. That someone in this godforsaken school might actually understand me. Actually get me.

And that thought terrified me. Because if there was someone who accepted me, then I might actually begin to fit in. And become one of the mindless drones.

That was really what scared me the most.

_And what is that poking feeling in my shoulder_? I thought as I broke the stream of thoughts that flowed, turning around.

I really wasn't surprised in the least to find the culprit to be none other than Dalby, as he continued to poke me sharply with his right index finger.

"Go annoy someone else dick head. I'm in no mood for you, games or otherwise." I snapped sharply at him.

"Lucky for you, I'm not into games either." He smirked "I was just wondering what your doing over here on your lonesome, not wanting to join in the fun conversations we've got going on over there."

That comment earned Dalby a glare from Matilda, a fist from Henry, an eye roll from Belle and a snort from Lucas.

Leaning closer, he whispered loudly, "Well, I'm having fun."

"No you're not." I stated "you're bored out of your brains, and looking for another victim to taunt. And I'm not going to be it. So bugger off." I said, shooing him away with my hands.

"Spunk. I like it." he said, before yelling something out loud, something incoherent. Even if he didn't now, eventually, Dalby would manage to get Hyde back into the room, and then lay into the poor bugger once again. Honestly, Hyde didn't stand a chance.

Looking towards the clock ahead of me, I noted that it only read nine twenty-two. Pushing my headphones back into my ear, I turned to music up even louder. God, this was going to be a hell of a long day.

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AN: Well… there it is. Chapter two. I re-wrote it. I like it now. And I've got a new plan. Should be a fun story to write. I like twisting with their characteristics to make them my own. Did you like it? Hate it? It won't change unless you share. Read and review please.


	3. Chapter 3: Why

Disclaimer: I don't own Home and Away or The Breakfast Club. Enjoy.

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Three: Why._

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She hasn't moved since before. After Dalby went off to annoy her. She just turned her head and tuned out of everything that's going on around her. She ignored the one person in the world who no one could possibly ignore, no matter how strong his or her will is.

How?

I wonder who she is, behind that vacant look that's taken over her face. I wonder what is going through her mind as she bites down on that lip. I wonder if she knows how intriguing she really is, because she's able to ignore the rest of the world.

Girls don't often appear mysterious to me. They've always been the same. Matilda has always accepted them. My friends have always accepted them. My superficial standards have always accepted them. They've never held that allure, that fascination, that certain charm that she has radiating around her.

She seems to be blissfully unaware of my presence. Of our presence. She actually doesn't care about where she is and who she's with. She's unassuming and so just, damn untouchable.

And now she's looking at me.

Crap. Quick, turn away Henry. Play it cool. You don't care about what she thinks either, remember?

Its been a minute, hopefully she's staring back out that window, looking at the freedom that from which we've been taken. Maybe I'll be able to sneak another peak at her. Maybe if I just inch my head that way…

Crap. She was still looking. She was also smirking.

Now I'm betting she thinks I'm a crazy stalker.

What is it about this girl that's driving me crazy with intrigue?

Is it the way she hunches her shoulders to sit? Or the way she bites continuously at her black painted finger nails while she stares out the window.

How is it that she can create butterflies in my stomach? Give me sweaty palms. Make me nervous as hell. Make me repeat everything over and over in my head. About the last look she gave me, or the last words she spoke to Dalby.

I wonder how she would look at me if I were to be on the 'dark side'. If I wasn't the jock head who was only interested in sports, booze and girls? Whether she would still smirk every time she caught me staring in her direction, or whether she would smile, like that smile Matilda gives boys who she's interested in.

No wait, she would never give a Matilda smile. She would always smirk. She seems like the smirking type. Like she knows something that you'll never know, about yourself, about life, about the big questions. She looks like she's got everything figured out, like she'll always be two steps ahead of you no matter how hard you try.

But I have to wonder that if I was on the other side, that if I knew her name, knew her, and understood her, whether she'd share her answers with me too. Or whether she'd just look at me with that same smirk.

I have to wonder about that. Then I have to wonder why this is all so important to me. Why do I want her to look at me and smile, instead of smirk? Why do I want her to smile for me?

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Why does he keep watching me? I can feel his eyes on me.

On my hands, on my back, on my face.

They are analyzing, they are judging. They are putting me into a category, as he probably does with any other girl he meets on the street. Putting me in his spank bank, then moving on.

That's what Henry Hunter does with girls. I watch him do it. I see him. He doesn't see me, but I see him. Every damn day. And he's always the same. A different girl draped under his arm. A flavour of the week. All blonde haired, blue eyed, beautiful and perfect. And fake.

But they fit perfectly together. Because that's what Henry Hunter is. A fake. A phony. A liar and a jackass.

Someone who doesn't deserve the status he's gained, because to me, he is the scum of the world.

But all because he believes himself to be greater than the common folk, god's gift to women, he thinks that we'll all drop to our knees infront of him, and praise him for eternity.

That our life would be so dull and boring without him in it.

And he keeps staring at me. It's beginning to weird me out.

So I turn. Turn to face him. And he looks away.

_Loser_, I think to myself, before smirking and keeping my eyes on his back.

_Coward_, I say in my mind, _turn around and face me_. _You had no problem staring at my back for the last five minutes, so why won't you face me like a real man?_

Then he turns, only slightly, and my smirk grows.

It's because you're only a shell of a man. You hide behind your sport and your 'quick wit' and your brawn. Behind your muscle and your tan and your sculptured bone structure.

And I wonder if I'd ever have fit into his world? How I would've felt, being one of the mindless drones that seem to follow him around. Being a member of the Henry Hunter cheer squad.

I wonder whether I'd have fit in, if I'd chosen to wear knee high white socks in year seven, instead of my black armbands and black painted fingernails. If I'd just smiled, instead of smirking. If I'd just listened to right music, worn the right clothes, spoken the right language.

I smirk to myself. I can't help it. There's just something so surreal about the setting that I've been thrown into. Something so weird about _this_ reality, that I'm sure Matilda is pinching herself constantly to make her believe that it's actually real. That a bunch of total strangers, total opposites have been thrown in a room together for eight hours, with nothing or no one to help us survive.

Then, an idea begins creeping up from the depths of my mind. I see it in my head. I close my eyes, and picture the scene to its final detail. She saw the picture vividly create itself in her mind. Each line she would draw and each part she would shade.

Drawing is my one escape from whatever is going on around me. Drawing allows me to be drawn into another world, another time, where I am the creator. Where I am in complete control of my destiny. A rarity in my own reality, where my parents are the biggest control freaks, always yelling at me to behave like me younger, perfect sister, who reminds me vaguely of Matilda.

I shudder at this mildly scary thought, before turning the page in my sketchbook and allowing the pencil to flow across the paper. His eyes remain locked on me, but I no longer care. Let him watch. He'll see in the end. They'll all see.

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Henry is watching Cassie Turner aka freak girl from not my world and she's got this weird, twisted look on her face while she draws. It's almost like she's… well… concentrating. Oh god, I hope I don't look that unattractive when I concentrate on something.

Wait, I concentrate all the time. On my hair, and my make-up, and my outfit choices. And I never, ever look like that. Thank god.

My eyes stray around the room. Looking between each of the suspects that have been gathered here today by our wonderful principle. I still can't believe Lucas Holden, Summer Bay Highs resident suck up landed himself in detention. He must've cried so hard when Hyde told him.

Stupid dork. And he actually had the nerve to speak to me before. To tell me off. To tell me I was wrong. I was so shocked. Who actually does that? Not a no name, no social standing nerd with nothing better to do with his time than study, or play Dungeons and Dragons on the computer.

I bit my lip as I looked more closely at Lucas. He had his head bent over a book. Typical nerd, I thought, always taking something to read with him everywhere, because of his lack of communication skills. Looking further up, I saw that he too was concentrating hard at the task at hand. Whatever the hell it was. But the difference between himself and Cassie Turner was that he became almost, angelic when he concentrated.

His eyes opened, and you could see the clear blue. His free hand alternated from turning the page and running through his blonde locks. His face was all angles, all chiseled.

Almost perfect… I thought… before gasping loudly and turning to face the other way, feeling my face grow hot, even thought I didn't know if anyone had seen or heard what I'd just done.

I'd just imagined Lucas Holden to actually be cute.

I needed to wash my mouth out. Then my mind out. I was having a momentary lapse of judgement. There wasn't enough air in here. I hadn't had enough coffee this morning. There were so many reasons as to why I'd have, only for a second, thought of Lucas as anything more than the computer fixing, chess playing dork that he was. Maybe I was just being typical me, scouting out any male in range and analyzing him for his looks. Whether I knew him or not didn't matter. I judged by their looks, and that was it.

So I did what any other girl would do in my situation. I turned to judge Dalby. I couldn't very well check out my brother, and Dalby was the only other male in the room. So he was next.

Okay, forget the fact that well, he's a complete jerk. Look at him from another perspective. Every girl should have a crush on a bad boy at least once in their life. Why not see whether Dalby was a possibility for your crush Matilda, I thought, talking to myself in the third person. He is a bad boy that's for sure.

Well, he's sitting there, all sulky and stuff. Like he is too cool to be here. His hair sort of falls into his eyes, hiding them from the outside world. So he doesn't have to watch anything or anyone. So he doesn't need to interact with them either. It makes him kind of mysterious, I guess.

Looking at him more, I realised that his shirt was taunt, which allowed one to undress him with their eyes. You could see a hint of the solid stomach and strong arms that were held captive by his shirt, which just let the imagination go wild. His loose jeans seemed to add more to the ensemble, and while it appeared to be thrown together to the untrained eye, I knew that Dalby had spent at least ten minutes deciding. That's more than the average.

Dalby knew how to work with what god had given him. Licking my lips in temptation, I realised that he was a fine specimen of the male species.

Groaning inwardly, I turned away again.

I'd done it again. Now I'd perved on the two other guys in the room with me.

What on earth had possessed me to do that? And why did I feel like I wanted to do it again, I thought, looking between Lucas and Dalby once more.

Why did I find them both so strangely… attractive, or intriguing?

Was I losing my mind?

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_The answer to the question is… forty-two. _I laughed aloud at this before remember that I was in a room with six strangers, not by myself at home. However, there are some perks to being here, I thought to myself as I looked around the room.

Our library had been donated a few years ago, which meant most of the books were in better condition than the local libraries, and that there were hundreds of books yet to be discovered. They were lurking somewhere in there, waiting for a greedy mind to come and devour them.

As I continue to look around my eyes meet Matilda Hunter's and we both look away, ashamed and embarrassed that we were looking at something other than the desk in front of us. But what was she looking at? Probably Dalby. I heard that girls are supposed to have a bad boy crush at least once in their lives. And so far in her life she'd only ever dated guys that reminded me of her brother, which was mildly disturbing, but each to their own.

At least she'd dated people. The closest thing I'd ever had to a relationship was staring at the back of Mary Spencer's head in science for the entirety of year nine. Then one of Mary's friends had found out, and it had spread across the school like wild fire. It was the most embarrassing three weeks of my life, and I thought it would never go away. But then somehow every one found out that Marcus Jones had a crush on his maths teacher, so my gossip was ancient history.

I'd never looked at the back of another girls head again though.

Something about that memory didn't sit right though. There was something nagging in the back of my mind. Something that I should have noticed, but instead, I became distracted as Dalby started speaking to me.

"Yo, Holden. What you doing?" he asked, in a sing song voice that meant no good.

"I'm knitting a sweater. What does it look like I'm doing?" I replied sarcastically, waving my book around for good measure.

"It looks like you're pretending to read, while your actually having a good ol' perve on Miss Teen Australia over there." Dalby replied happily, knowing that as my face turned many shades of red, his mission to embarrass me at least once every half-hour was well on its way.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I heard a faint 'Eww' come from Matilda's mouth, followed by what sounds like, 'please, don't let him like me.'

Sighing, I knew that this could only go from bad to worse in the hands of Eric Dalby. So I was going to cut my loses and make a quick exit.

Getting up from my seat, I picked up my bag and threw it over my shoulder, taking about two steps before Dalby said "Where you going?"

"Away." I snapped quickly.

"Why?" he asked, his voice become happier and happier as he saw me grow angrier and angrier.

"Because if I stay here, I might just end up saying 'like' in between every word I say." I said, glaring at Matilda, making sure she knew I was talking about her stupid habit. "Or I might decide that breaking into the local bottle shop is the best idea I've ever had, and wind up in juvie before I even get out of school." I said to Dalby, pausing for effect.

"Or because if I spend another moment sitting here wondering why in the world I'm stuck in a room with such… idiots, my brain might just fade away into non existence. Does that answer your question?" I screamed before storming off to the back of the library, not before hearing Matilda say "Did he just pick on me?"

Why, oh why, did complete and utter idiots surround me? I thought to myself as I searched for the furthermost corner of the library.

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My god, that girl was so dumb, I thought to myself as Matilda began to get all grumpy because Lucas had dared to mock her.

"Life is cruel princess, get over it." I snapped at her, becoming crabby, just like she was. Damn crabbiness, being contagious. I mean, Holden hadn't exactly been kind to any of us. Calling us idiots too. But then again, we hadn't given him a reason not to. Why was that?

Hypothetically, you're sitting in a room with five strangers. You're stuck there all day. Think, white mice, lab rats. People are watching you, observing you. There's a puppet master, and you are his puppets. Do you stick to your own corner and try to make it by yourself, or do you team up, because you know that always, always, two heads are better than one?

Heh, I always did run against the crowd, so why should I bother to try making friends with any of them, only to have it inevitably thrown back in my face. No way was I going out on a limb here. Could ruin my reputation, and I couldn't chance that happening.

Instead, I seek solace in my own mind. Because lord knows I wouldn't find a matching wit or sense of humour here. I needed to entertain myself. Because, I thought, looking towards the clock, which read nine forty-seven, I still had all day here.

Pulling out my diary. My treasure. I open it to the last page I had written in, ready to make friends with it once more.

_Hello Diary, how are we today? It's nine forty-eight on a Saturday, and I bet you're wondering why on earth I'm writing in you at this ungodly hour on a Saturday morning, because you're used to seeing me at about two or three in the afternoon._

_Well, it all began on Thursday. I was sitting in science, imagining the many ways Mrs. White could die with only a piece of chalk and the chalkboard, when in stormed Eric Dalby, followed only moments later by Matilda Hunter. Now, I could understand why Dalby was coming in late. He rarely ever comes to class, let alone actually on time, so I just figured he was off beating up some kid._

_Matilda Hunter on the other hand, is a very different case. With a few hair flips she sat down, huffing and puffing about being put on detention for wagging to go to a shoe sale. And I have to ask myself, I wonder if she managed to get any cute heels?_

_But then, before I know it, Mrs. White is choking and spluttering out the front, and turning a most exotic shade of red. And I scream, 'Quick, Mrs. White is an alien from the planet Sefflon, and she's about to attack the world…'_

I paused here, sniggering to myself, with the image of Mrs. White turning red before sprouting testicles from behind her knees and suddenly becoming even fatter than she already is, but then I hear someone clearing their throat from behind me.

I whip around to see Dalby sitting there, a fake, innocent look on his face, and he twiddles his thumbs and whistles softly.

"Can I help you?" I bite out, angry at the idea of someone interrupting my Diary entry.

"What you doing?" he asks, in that sickly sweet voice he had used just minutes ago to annoy the crap out of Lucas.

"Seeing how many ways there are to kill you, using just this book and a ink pen. Number 27 is particularly interesting, as that also uses castration…" I started, but was cut off by the noise of a door slamming somewhere.

"Chill woman, Hyde is just going to sneak down into the basement and check on the secret documents that have all the other teachers dirty secrets in them." Dalby said, all knowingly.

"Well, in that case. Piss off and annoy someone else." I said harshly, before exiting like Lucas had.

Why? Well, I didn't exactly know, but I couldn't stand to be there any more.

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Why was everyone so touchy today, I thought to myself as I watched Taylor bugger off in the same fashion Holden had when I'd asked him simple questions.

I smirked to myself, knowing that I still had the whole day left to annoy every single entity in this room, and so far, I had managed to make two people leave. Now, if I could just make the Teen Queen cry, my day would be complete.

Okay, I was a bitter asshole, but it's not like they didn't deserve it. They judged me just as I judged them. It was a vicious cycle that had created itself some time between year seven and year eight. That's when something had snapped within me, and I'd just given up. I was still amazed that I'd made it this far without being expelled.

Then again, Hyde wasn't one for expulsion. He liked the slow, torturous route instead. Which meant months and months of these detentions, then I would still be able to sit for my HSC, not before failing, which would, in the end, prove Hyde right. Prove that I was a complete failure in everything. The last thing I needed to fail was life. And hell, I was well on my way to that too.

I mean, I could've been the Lucas of the school. Or the Henry. I could've been anything I wanted to be. And I chose to be me. A complete and utter failure.

Any spirit I had about school and learning had been sucked out of me at a young age. My father managed to see to that. Beating me up on a regular basis. And while he beat me, he would repeat, 'You're nothing. You're worthless. You're a waste of space. You're mother doesn't care about you. YOU. WILL. FAIL."

Can't imagine where I got the idea of me failing from, I thought dryly, as I subconsciously clenched and unclenched my fists as anger welled inside of me. Sometime I would hit the bastard back. I would beat his ass to the ground, and repeat every single word he ever told me. I'd show him that, despite everything, I wasn't a failure when it came to hitting people. He'd find that out the hard way.

I could feel her eyes on me, and as I turned sideways I met the unassuming eyes of quiet, controlled Cassie Turner. She just looked at me. There was nothing judgmental or superficial about it. She didn't roll her eyes like Taylor would, or shake her head like Matilda would. She simply looked. And smiled slightly before turning her attention back towards whatever was on the paper infront of her.

Why were the chicks in here so damn weird? Why did they all have to spin me out completely, take me out of my comfort zone and make me wonder about them? It was so damn frustrating, to look at them, watch them act like they knew everything. Because soon you began to wonder whether they did know everything. You began to ask why, why were they so damn intriguing.

Why did you want to know more about them all? Even that damn Princess, who sat in what looked to be deep thought. Even she was untouchable to me.

Why was today becoming more complicated by the second? And more boring by the second too, I thought to myself, as I looked up to see the minute hand move slowly towards the twelve. Not even ten, I thought. Pushing the chair out, I walked towards the door. I was getting out of here.

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AN: First off, thank you to my awesome Beta (or proof reader) xxNicolexx from BTTB. You so rock. I recommend anyone from BTTB who has stories, get them proof read by someone else, it makes them a million times better, because they can find mistakes that you simply miss.

Now to the story…that chapter was a bit different. And a bit long. It just sort of flowed out of me. Next chapter has some actual, real interaction between the characters. But between who? Read and review please. It makes me want to write more.


	4. Chapter 4: Lost

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Enjoy.

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Four: Lost_

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I stalked through the maze that was the library, lost already because of my lack of knowledge about where everything led. Perhaps, I mused to myself, if I'd bothered to actually come in here before today, I'd know my way around a tad easier.

"Crap" I said loudly, as I turned a corner sharply and ran into none other than Lucas Holden. I felt the wind being knocked out of me as I stumbled backwards onto the ground. Groaning, out of pain, out of frustration, I threw my hands down in defeat and lay down on the carpeted floor, closing my eyes, silently wishing this day to be over.

I opened one eye several minutes later to find Lucas standing over me, a look on his face that was somewhere between curiosity and amusement.

"What?" I barked at him as he continued to stare. "Why are you looking at me?" I said, quieter, but still with that same bite.

"Here." He said, offering me a hand to help me up.

I looked between him and his hand before slowly, carefully taking it. Why was he being nice to me? Then I snorted at my own stupidity. I was treating him as if he were the next Dalby. Who was I kidding, Lucas Holden was mean to no one. He was spiteful to some, I thought, considering his behaviour towards Matilda earlier, but what could he have to hold against me? I thought silently, as he led me to another corner of the library.

This corner was not filled with usual non-fiction books that one usually found in our library, nor was it filled with tables and chairs like the front. Instead, this corned housed many beanbags and comfortable chairs, fiction books from every imaginable genre, as well as a kettle, some various hot drink ingredients, and mugs.

It was like a nerd's heaven I snickered to myself.

Luke had settled himself in one of the chairs, and as I met his eyes, he gestured for me to take a seat to. I cautiously sat down in one of the beanbags that faced him, slowly sinking into its soft combines.

Silence was easy with this kid. He was unassuming, quiet, and well, nerdy. There were no awkward moments even though we'd barely spoken. He didn't judge you like everyone else in the entire school did. Probably because he was most used to being judged because of who he was.

Hell, every time I called him a nerd I was judging him. I didn't know him from a bar of soap, and while some of his characteristics were typical of a stereotypical nerd, he had guts. You had to have guts if you were going to take on the teen queen, even with only five people around.

And he'd just shrugged off her harshness. He'd walked away.

"Why do you hate Matilda Hunter so much?" I asked him curiously.

He snorted loudly at this.

Jeez, I didn't think I was that amusing.

"Why does anyone hate her? She's so self-assured. And while that's not a bad thing, she has this false confidence in her so-called 'popularity'. She had this… belief that no one will be able to take her down. And because she believes this, she believes she can treat everyone how she wants. Step on as many people as she wants. Crush as many people as she needs to. Why do I hate her? Pick one of the many times she's trampled something I've said, or mocked me as I walk past her in the hallway. Better yet, pick one of the many times she's simply ignored my existence because she thinks I'm a waste of space." He finished, laughing bitterly.

Perhaps I was going to enjoy spending this quality time alone with Lucas after all.

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Belle looked as if all her Christmases had come at once after I finished my bitter speech. Like she'd never imagined finding, in this school, someone who despised Matilda Hunter anywhere near as she did.

For someone smart, she sure was a bit stupid. She only had to open her eyes and look around detention. Only two people in there liked Matilda… maybe it was only one. Maybe none. I wasn't sure whether she actually liked herself, or just pretended to for the sake of everyone else.

Matilda Hunter had done nothing to gain my friendship, my acceptance or my good word. She had constantly beaten me, kicked me when I was down at my worst, then stepped over me and pushed me away into a corner entitled 'Used and Abused'. That was how she treated people in her world. That was how the queen of queens survived.

I imagined boarding school to be a tough fight for the top rug on the popularity ladder. I imagined that Matilda must have fought like a princess warrior, and literally clawed her way to the top. That's the kind of girl Matilda Hunter was. She didn't like to be second best to anyone, so she would've fought with every ounce of cattiness and bitchiness to get her to the top social position in boarding school.

I also imagined not being able to trust your friends would be hard on you too. Being aware that they judged you just as you judged them, and that the slightest slip up would force you into social isolation for the remainder of highschool. And while Matilda appeared to have all the friends in the world, how many of them were her actual friends? I didn't have that many, but at least I knew they accepted me completely for who I was.

Sighing to myself, I imagined how hard it must have been for her to lose her father. He had been well loved by everyone in Summer Bay. And Matilda's affection towards him had been no secret either. During primary school I remember the numerous amounts of times she would run out the gate to be scoped up into her fathers arms as he tickled her, making her giggle and laugh.

Then to be taken from the one place you had left in your heart. Where there may have been no warmth or happiness for you, but there was comfort in the things you knew by heart, comfort in the things that were always there, that had been there for as long as you cared to remember.

There is comfort in things that are familiar, even if they aren't entirely honest or nice even.

And I imagined that it hurt Matilda like hell to have her family, and her life, ripped apart at the drop of a pin.

I imagined that with one simple phone call, she had transformed herself into the ice-queen that we all knew and hated today.

But that still didn't give her any right to be like she was around people. It just managed to justify her behaviour in some weird, twisted way.

Realising that I'd been lost in my thoughts for some time now, I looked up and saw that Belle was wondering around the section, looking around many of the books that were held here.

She was a strange girl, Belle Taylor was. Hardened by something that had obviously happened in her past, she appeared at time to be wise beyond her years, but at other times, she was vulnerable and innocent, no more than a child was.

She turned and gave me short smile, before it turned into a smirk.

I smirked back, and that caught her off guard. Then I asked, "So, have you ready any of the five books in the _'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy' _trilogy?"

She cocked an eyebrow at me before taking her seat again "You mean three books right? Three books in a trilogy."

"It's the longest trilogy out there." I replied cryptically, before launching off into an explanation. Something told me Belle might be a little softer than she appeared to be.

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I looked up from painting a second coat of 'pretty-in-pink' (inspired by the movie, of course) nail polish onto my nails to see Dalby striding towards the back exit. Where in the world is he going? I thought to myself as I watched his back walk powerfully away.

"Hey" I yelled out on impulse. Whatever had I done that for? I hated this boy. Despised him. He'd been an ass to me since we arrived here.

Dalby turned around, a slightly shocked, but amused expression playingon his face. He flashed me one of his infamous smirks before walking back slowly towards me.

"You rang, oh Princess?" he said, sitting down on the table behind me and putting his legs up onto a chair, waiting for my answer.

I blew on my nails, contemplating the situation. As I saw it, I had two choices. I could continue to ignore him, pretending to both of us that I hadn't yelled anything out, then shoo him away when his sitting there became too much.

Or, I could continue with this gut instinct I felt. This, overwhelming curiosity I felt when it came to Eric Dalby. Blowing on my nails one final, sensual time for good measure, I looked up towards him through my dark lashes and said quietly, in an almost seductive whisper "Where are you going?"

He let out a hollow laugh before leaning down and whispering into my ear "Why Princess, you wanna come with me?"

The way he said it infuriated me. It was as if I were too innocent, to naïve to play with him in the big bad world.

How little the people in this world actually knew about me.

But instead of sharing this with him, I decided to mess with his mind a little.

Leaning up, I whispered into his is "Is it that you don't think I could handle you or… that you don't think you can handle me?" I finished seductively, before sitting back into my seat, crossing my legs so my tight skirt inched up a little more, and smirked as his face became shocked.

Who'd have guessed Dalby could be so easy to play? I reflected as I watched him continue to struggle to make sense of what I'd said to him.

Sometimes, males make it so easy for the opposite sex to screw with their minds, because other parts of the body did the thinking for them. I may have been an ice queen, but I still knew how to get my way with guys.

I stood up and adjusted my skirt, before pulling down my top to show a little hint of cleavage. I saw Dalby's eyes drop automatically to my chest for a few moments before they met my eyes once again.

No matter where we were in the world, men would always think about the same three things. Sex, food and sport. In that order. And yet, they still wondered how we had them all figured out, and they had no clue about us. Please, every girl knows if she has the body, she may as well use it.

He continued to stare into my eyes as my smirk grew. Suddenly, he pushed me back down into my chair and sat down close next to me. I was shocked at his roughness and my face portrayed this. Now, he was the one smirking.

Damn him to hell, I thought angrily as I finally glared back at him.

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Princess had guts. I'll give her that. She had spunk too, and anger and passion. More anger and passion than I ever would have given her credit for. Her eyes shot daggers at me as I spun her to face me. She thought her trick had worked. Little witch.

The worst part was, it almost did. She's hypnotising, Matilda Hunter is. One smile and you're weak at the knees. One kiss, you'd be falling at her feet. Anything more, you'd be a slave for life.

The worst part? She knows every damn bit. She knows she is irresistible to the general male population, hell, to the general female population. She was a vision, a dream.

Perfection walking.

But her icy, sharp glare, her flushed, angry face, they all showed me a vastly different side to a girl I'd only ever seen laughing, giggling, and throwing her nose up in the air as if she were better than any one else in her line of vision.

Something told me I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to know this side of her. The side that could bite back when bitten, the side that could tear you to shreds with words.

Instead, I smirked at her some more and let go of her wrist that I'd been holding tight. I said to her sharply "Don't play you're little mind games with me. You want something from me? Be honest, for god's sake. The one thing I can't stand in this world is a girl using her sensual, womanly ways to get what she wants. That's just cruel Matilda Hunter. Then again, you are a cruel person, aren't you?" I finished; smirking some more as her face became shocked.

"I'm not cruel. I'm realistic." She said firmly, turning away from my gaze momentarily, before she decided better and turned back to look me in the eye.

"Where were you going?" She asked, without a hint of spite or cruelty in her voice. If anything there was a touch of curiosity, but I pretended not to hear it, because if I had heard it, things would've gone downhill quickly. Who cared why the princess was curious about me and where I was heading in life? She was just another girl, I thought sternly before answering "Well, wouldn't you just love to know?"

"Yep." She replied shortly "I'm bored. And the smell of books is making my head hurt. So whenever you're ready, I'm coming with you." She finished, nodding her head to me before beginning to apply her nail polish again.

My jaw dropped in amazement. Had that really just happened? Had Matilda Hunter honestly just said she'd spend time alone with me just to get out of this room? Was the world coming to an end?

More to the point, why was I beingso... drama queen ...about it?

Sighing heavily, I looked up to see Henry staring at Cassie, and Cassie ignoring everything around her, drawing furiously onto a sheet of paper.

I wasn't going to be forced to spend time alone with the Ice Queen. Everyone was coming with me too.

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I looked up momentarily, catching both Dalby and Henry staring at me. I glared at both, and they both turned away, blushing slightly at the idea of being caught red handed staring at a girl they hardly knew. I smirked to myself before staring down at the picture that had begun to unfold infront of me.

The outline is there now, the detail yet to be filled in. An artist never rushes art. Never rushes something so special, something so vivid. I looked around the room we're being held captive in. There are angles and lines that I'm sure no one has paid any attention too, until now. There are soft spots where the light creeps in through the windows which no one has ever seen, until now.

There are feeling and emotions and past secrets that are hidden in this room, that no one has ever felt until now. And there is a picture being created infront of me that is of a scene that no one would have ever imagined… until now.

But there are details I have yet to find, details that are needed to complete the picture. Details that are hidden beneath layers of skin and muscles, beneath layers of hurt and pain. There are details that need to be seen to be believed, that needed to be captured in an exact moment, then stored in the back of your mind.

Even my own details, I have yet to see. I always draw scenes, or settings. I've never wanted to draw people... until now. I've never wanted to draw myself until now. Because I'm frightened by what I may find hidden beneath all the layers. I'm frightened that I won't be able to recognise myself, and if I'm that far gone, I'm afraid I won't be able to come back to this state of pretending. This fairytale reality that isn't so much a fairytale, but more a make believe world I've created to ease the pain.

Sometimes, you have to go to extreme lengths to save your soul. Sometimes, you have to go to extreme lengths to make sure you continue to live and breath air, to make sure you can still get up in the morning, to make sure you just don't give up on this life, no matter how inviting the next life is.

I turn my head to meet his eyes. This surprises him, his head instantly snaps up from its wresting place on his palm, but he doesn't look away, not like last time. I look into his eyes, the eyes that have so much more brightness, more spark than his sisters do. I search to see whether he knows the same kind of pain I do. I search further and deeper, until he does something that astounds me. He smiles. Its small, barely there, but it's genuine, and its his.

And suddenly, I find its me who can't look at him any more.

But that doesn't matter, because Dalby has chosen this exact moment to stand up and drag Matilda up with him. She scowls at him, be he only laughs his hollow, dry laugh at her, before he addresses Henry and I.

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I groan to myself as she turns away from me. Why did I have to ruin it? She was looking for something, searching my eyes for something. And I had to go and ruin in. It was the closest she'd been to wondering about me, becoming curious about me. And I smiled. Am I an idiot or what? Couldn't just sit there and let my eyes do the talking, no, I had to smile. And ruin everything.

To make matters worse, Dalby is making a scene, involving Matilda and all.

"We're all going on a little trip." Dalby said matter-of-factly. Looking between us, before sighing to himself as neither she or I make a move.

"And when I say all, I mean all!" he says pointedly, obviously hoping to have a little more impact this time.

"It was clear the first time. Repeating it doesn't guarantee anything." She says, before turning back to her work.

"What's your name?" Matilda asks the girl, rather politely for Matilda, might I add.

But the girl still snorts, like it's Matilda has said the most stupid thing in the world.

"If you don't know, why would I even bother again?" She replies shortly, before glaring harshly at Matilda and turning back to her work.

Matilda looks slightly hurt by this. She doesn't like being told off, my sister. And I'm beginning to see another side to this girl before something clicks simultaneously for Matilda and myself.

"Cassie?" Matilda says out loud, as I think it. Cassie Turner. Matilda's primary school best friend. Matilda cried herself to sleep for weeks after she left for boarding school without Cassie. But then, one day, she just seemed to be over it. And Cassie seemed to be forgotten. Even when we came back to Summer Bay, Matilda didn't look for Cassie in the school halls, didn't ring her house, or anything.

"The one and only." Cassie replies snidely as she continues to draw.

For once, Matilda doesn't say anything. Instead, she shrinks back, from fear, from anger, from hurt? I don't know, her face is unreadable, just like Cassie's.

"Well, wasn't that a strange moment?" Dalby says, before coming over to me and pulling me up from my chair.

"Like I said, we're going for a trip. Collect your girlfriend and come one. We've still got to find Dorkus and Taylor." Dalby growls at me before shoving me in Cassie's direction.

But she's already up by the time I've taken three steps.

"I'm only coming because the light is crap in here and I need better so I can draw." Cassie says airily as she floats past Dalby, apparently leading the way to find the missing two.

I tug on Matilda's hand and offer her a reassuring smile which she returns, just, before walking off to be side by side with Dalby, who just stares down at her as she begins chatting away.

Apparently, Matilda has lost her mind.

I'm too lost in my own thoughts to see where we're going. Cassie. Her name is Cassie. The Cassie I've known since the first day of kindergarten, when she and Matilda teamed up against me and told me I couldn't play with them because I was a boy.

I was crushed that day. And she continued to crush me in her own way, as I developed a childlike crush on her.

One that has lasted into adolescence it would seem.

But my thoughts are interrupted as we come to a halt. I look up to see Belle and Lucas laughing with one another, until they notice the rest of us standing there, staring at them.

And is it just me, or do Matilda and ...Dalby bothlook slightly crushed at the conversation we'd just walked into?

I rub my head, before looking at my watch. Ten fifteen. We've still all the time in the world to ruin today for ourselves, I think cynically as Dalby begins to speak.

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AN: Yay. Done. Thanks to xxNicolexx for her patience. Hopefully the story is developing. Hopefully, there will be another update soon. Please review, it makes me happy.


	5. Chapter 5: Found

**Disclaimer:** I don't own H&A, or The Five People You Meet In Heaven, I'm just borrowing for a while. 

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Five: Found_

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Taylor was actually getting along with the geek? Taylor IS getting along with the geek. Oh me oh my, how much fun I can have this with this? I thought to myself, ignoring the pounding in my chest, and the small, annoying, twisting feeling in my stomach.

"Well, we could just leave you two love birds alone?" I said snidely, raising an eyebrow as I grinned maniacally towards them. "You seem to be getting rather cozy with one another and I wouldn't want to interrupt." I finished in a harsh tone.

"Like hell you wouldn't" Taylor snapped back at me. "You wouldn't leave us alone if you really thought anything was happening –too much opportunity for mockery. Too much opportunity for torturous comments. No, you'd rather stay than go." She finished firmly, sitting back into her beanbag and smirking.

Well, aren't we just a cynical bunch, I thought to myself, my eyes remaining on Taylor's smirk. That smirk has been overused by each of us already and it's not even eleven.

At least that's something we all have in common I mused before backtracking. No, wait not wholesome Henry, the parent's wet dream…He may be a jerk, but he certainly doesn't smirk. He rarely ever smiles. Not that I would if I were him, got nothing to smirk or smile about, I thought, snickering to myself before looking up and catching everyone's eyes on me, their faces set in slightly amused expressions.

"I'm trying to have a private moment here!" I said in a rather girly tone "And I'd prefer if you lot didn't interrupt."

"Well this whole 'escape plan' is your idea." Cassie said boredly, as if she were stating the damn obvious.

"And do you remember me asking you to come along?" I replied angrily.

"Yes, actually." Came the airy reply, as she pulled out a chair and sat down, settling herself as she continued. "Remember, only moments ago, you were a heartbeat away from dragging me from my chair?" she mused, cocking her head to the side, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.

Groaning inwardly, I sat down and put my head in my hands, as if I were feeling the after effects of the alcohol from the night before. Spending time with females wasn't good for your head. They tended to be able to mess with your mind even if they didn't intend for it to happen.

"Look," Luke said, "Obviously you came here for a reason Cassie, and it wouldn't just be because Dalby threatened you. Because like he'd ever hit a girl. Henry, he might hit, and more than likely I'm sure punching me has come to mind."

"Punching jockie over there has come to mind more." I added in before Luke continued.

"Whatever, my point is, if we choose to follow Dalby out that door, we choose to do it for our own personal reason, not because we were forced into it." Luke said, talking his time to look each of us in the face, making his point clear.

Worst thing about that speech was, I could actually see why Taylor was hanging out with the kid. He was definitely the most normal sort out of everyone here, and knew his stuff when it came to putting down the teen queen of witches.

Speaking of witches, while everyone else had sat down, appearing content with their position for now, she was walking along the closest row of books slowly, her thumb running gently over their spines. It was as if she was searching for something that she remembered, but just wasn't able to find it.

In truth, with her believing we were all preoccupied, she may have believed she could have this moment to herself. Or she may have been lost in her own world. Either way, Id never seen her look so enchanting, so innocent. In that one moment, Matilda Hunter showed what natural beauty was.

Then, like a gun shot breaking the serenity of my vision, Henry Hunter screamed, "You'd like to hit me huh?"

"Talk about being hit with the slow stick one too many times. I guess that's one of the problems running around with a little ball and touching males can do to you." I replied halfheartedly, because it was both a cheap shot, and because the vision of innocent Matilda was still floating across my mind like a dream.

Taylor snorted, geek tried to muffle his laugh, Cassie rolled her eyes, but Matilda, for her own little corner of the world clutching a book close, she giggled. It was a soft, small giggle that became louder even as Henry turned to glare at her.

As she recovered, she said to Henry "Well he had a point. I always wondered why guys can tackle other guys in sport but wouldn't even dare to touch one another in every day life."

"Ahh the eternal question every girl will be forced to ponder for all eternity, 'Why males bond over sports?'" Taylor threw in, to which Matilda replied "Amen sister."

"Oh god," Groaned dorkus from his corner "They aren't going to bond over a guys inability to show feelings and emotions are they?" He finished, looking between Henry and myself.

"Maybe you should come join Lucas." Taylor said, "You seem to understand a girls mind fairly well." She finished, as Matilda nodded in agreement.

Who'd have thought those two would ever agree on anything? Leaning back, I decided once more that today was going to be anything _but_ boring.

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How could she just pretend as if nothing had happened? There she was, making friends with Dalby and Belle, but ignoring the fact that I was here… someone she used to be best friends with?

How do you just…recover like that?

Then I almost hit myself. It didn't matter to Matilda Hunter. She'd ignored me for four years, why stop now? That's the kind of cold hearted witch Matilda had transformed into, that's the witch four years of boarding school had created. And Boarding Schools effect on Henry… enough said.

When we were ten, he was this sweet kid who was always hanging around, like he couldn't find anything better to do. At eleven, he had this own friends, mostly because of footy. But he was still sweet. He would never let his mates pick on little Matilda and her somewhat strange friend Cassie. He was cute like that. Cute like a person I imagined would always be there for me, no matter what. Kind of how I imagined Matilda to be.

Then Jack had sent them away. Three weeks before we started highschool. That was it. No amount of tears from Matilda, no amount of silence from Henry could change his mind. And I started highschool alone, with a dark heart, and an even darker exterior. I hated the world, and the world hated me.

There were phone calls and emails to start with, as Matilda mocked the kind of people she was to become. Then, there became less calls, then a weekly email with minimal detail, then finally, nothing.

I cried for nights on end, at the loss of what I believe to be my best friend. I was a naïve child then. Now, I'm a teenager and not so naïve any more. When I heard from my mother that Jack had passed away, the stone heart I had created didn't even chip a little. There was just a dull, mindless look that was used any time the Hunter's were mentioned in our household, and this was no exception.

First day of year 11, they were there. Sitting on the benches, a crowd formed around them. Back from their own kind of dead. But I walked on by, my head turning the other way, my eyes devoid of any emotion. Matilda and Henry Hunter died around the same time my faith and belief in friendship did.

And as life continued, we lived in ignorance of one another. I lived in ignorance of everyone and everything. Until today. The fateful day that had thrown us together once more. The day fate stepped in to change our futures. When we managed to land in the first Saturday detention… together.

I looked up to find Henry shooting uncommonly hard glares at everyone, while a slightly amused smile graced the lips of Dalby, as he watched Matilda giggling. Doing what she does best, I thought tiredly, playing the mindless bimbo. But I also heard Belle Taylor laughing to the side of me. Looking around in bewilderment, I wondered what the hell was going on in this library. Maybe I'd been lost in my own world for far too long.

Looking down to the picture I had held tight in my art book, I considered what I'd really been drawing. There were shadows, outlines, of people, but I had yet to reach any substance at all.

Really, we were all simply shadows, waiting for our experiences to create the people we were going to be. But until we figured out who we really were, we pretended to know, because pretending was always a better option than being lost.

"Earth to Cassie." Dalby yelled. "The world is calling you."

"An attempt at humour from Mr. Dalby." I said, turning my head and looking towards him. "Something that must be applauded because not everyone can grasp the idea of wit, let alone use it." I snarled at him.

"Temper temper." Dalby bit back. "We just wanted to know what you thought of Henry's sexuality - does football provoke gay, straight, or confused thoughts about males?"

I just couldn't help it. All the pain that I'd thought I'd hidden away, deep in my heart. It all came flooding back to me. Every tear I cried, every hurt feeling I'd ever felt because they walked out of my life.

Looking towards Henry, I glared as I said. "Footballers are jerks… they are assholes who don't care about anyone or anything but themselves. It doesn't matter who they crush along the way, as long as they get to where they are going in life. As long as they get what they want." I said slowly and fiercely, my spiteful eyes remaining on Henry.

" And with him, well, he cares even less." I finished softly. "I'd go with gay." I said firmly, standing up and walking away quickly. If I'd stayed a moment longer, they would've seen the hot tears that had begun to pour from my eyes.

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Raise your hand if you ever thought you'd be stuck in a Saturday Detention, with the most unusual suspects someone could gather, who you were actually beginning to get along with.

Okay then, raise your hand if you ever thought you'd see Cassie Turner tear Henry Hunter to shreds, and, that he would actually look crushed by this rejection.

Not me. I wouldn't have raised my hands to having Saturday detention. And I wouldn't have believed in a million years Cassie would bring Henry down from his pedestal. Yet here I am, watching what could have possibly been my new hero walk silently away.

I can understand Belle, even Dalby telling the honest trust to the Hunters, but Cassie? She's the one who doesn't give a damn. Her attitude screams 'bugger off I don't care about you and your pathetic existence on this planet.' And yet, in the one moment, she obviously did care about something, or… someone.

I started to understand, as I saw the awkward glances between Henry and Matilda, that there was obviously something I had missed. Someone as 'whatever' as Cassie doesn't generally go around screaming at people, then running away from the confrontation unless something really huge happened.

Maybe being here wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At least I'd bare witness to the gossip that was sure to spread like wild fire on Monday… not that I cared about such trivial things, I quickly reminded myself before hearing Dalby crack up.

"Well," he gasped between laughs "I don't think she'll be giving you any, any time soon." He managed to say to Henry, before breaking into laughter once more.

Instead of shrugging it off, instead of biting back with some crude word directed towards Dalby, or ever worse, Cassie, instead of saying "Like I'd touch that with a ten foot pole"… Instead of any predictable, typical, Henry Hunter jockface retorts, he marched over and punched Dalby square in the jaw.

Just like that, as if Dalby had insulted a long time girlfriend, or Matilda, or his mother. Henry just, hit him.

I'd definitely missed something here, I thought, as Dalby picked himself up and stood up, his face in Henry's, as if waiting for more.

However they were at stalemate now. Both were fuming, their fists clenched by their sides, bodies against one another, faces almost touching. Anger radiating between the two bodies, waiting for someone to erupt.

"Henry" Matilda's steady, calming voice said "Henry, don't. It's not worth it. He's not worth it." She said, as Dalby turned to shoot her a sharp glare. There was obviously little or no love between them anymore, I mused, thinking about only moments before when they had teamed up against Henry together.

Blood is clearly thicker than water.

Sucking in a breath, she walked over to them, and gently tugged on Henry's shoulder, forcing him to back down. Her eyes spoke volumes, as her mouth never moved. They spoke of things though their eyes that I couldn't even begin to grasp.

Throwing one final look at Dalby, Henry turned and walked over to a chair in the corner and sat down, placing his head in his hands, becoming lost in his own tumultuous mind. Something had triggered him. Something had snapped inside. Because of her. Because of Cassie Turner. It was all too weird to grasp.

These people, we had spent the last four years in school together. The last six months for Henry and Matilda. Yet, it seemed we knew nothing about one another. Hardly surprising, I thought, because we hadn't spoken to one another before today.

But, as we grew to know one another today, they less, it appeared, we believed in ourselves and everything we had been so sure about before nine am.

Looking up, I saw Belle observing everything around her, no doubt wondering what exactly had gone on when she and I were away from the group.

I saw a look of concern flash across her eyes as they came to rest of Dalby, who was massaging his jaw, obviously still angry, as he continued to take deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, so he didn't suddenly lash out as Henry had done.

Belle's eyes looked towards his hands and his jaw, and I watched as her own hands itched to move, to massage and comfort Dalby. She wanted to be the one to mend him when he was hurt.

A hint of jealously momentarily swept through my own body. Why would she want to comfort him? I asked myself. She was smart, articulate, funny, witty, sly. What could she possibly have in common with him?

What did this jealously mean for me? Did I like Belle? Maybe.

I liked everything she represented. Like, one day, fi I ever managed to find the 'one' I imagined her to be like Belle. Not Belle exactly, but like her. So maybe I was jealous of all the Dalby's in the world, jealous of all the Henry's, who would always end up with the girl, before any of the Lucas' did. After all, the bad boy or the jock eventually sees the girl for who she really is. They always end up with the right girl.

Why would my story be any different? I thought sadly, opening my book and doing the only thing I could, beginning at the beginning.

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Wow, holy wow. Who'd have thunk it? Cassie a psycho, yeah sure, but a psycho who actually goes psycho? Unlikely, even in this school. And Henry actually having the nerve to hit Dalby? I'll admit, I have some admiration for the boy now. Some real, deep admiration. He can hit well actually, wouldn't say no to him defending me.

The moment Dalby hit the floor thought, something lurched in my stomach, and something vaguely resembling worry ran through my body, and it took everything I had not to run to him there and then. I held my hands in place as Matilda got Henry to back off, but as Dalby sat there, nursing his bruising jaw, I felt my hands wanting to touch his face, to sooth his pain.

Then, I just felt like slapping myself. Actually caring about what happens to Dalby? Actually worrying about him? I must be mad. Crazed, headed for the loony bin.

Looking between the two manly men, I considered their personalities, which, in this short amount of time I'd spent with them, I had come to believe we strikingly similar. Neither of them was unfortunate looking, in fact, to the right kind of girl, both would be rather attractive.

Dalby, with his smoldering, bad boy looks, and Henry with his, well, that smile and those dimples. Both were fighters, were easily aggravated and annoyed, and both had short tempers. They spoke their mind and believed they were always right. To sum it up, they were typical teenage males, who would probably get along famously if they didn't hate one another on principle.

Dalby hated Henry because he was popular and abused that popularity, and Henry hated Dalby because that was simply what the popular people did. Hated and ignored those who didn't fit into their world.

It's just the kind of cruel people they were. And Cassie, well, she noticed, and she called him on it. I can't help but think there was something more behind her anger. Something that had been hidden away, deep down in some forgotten box.

Maybe it was the way her face twisted into anguish, like a childhood pain she'd just remember had come back to haunt her. But even weirder, how Henry had reacted. While I love a good biff as much as the next person, Henry had lashed out at a remark that even the dullest minds in the world could have counted with a snappy comeback.

The day was quickly becoming one of the weirdest of my life. Must be the lack of air getting to everyone. Or the overall general lack of brain cells, I smirked at my own joke, as my eyes fell on Lucas.

Before they had come looking for us, we'd been getting along, like actual, real friends. He knew wit, he knew sarcasm, he knew humour and he knew intelligence. There was something I was drawn to, something entirely attractive about the Nerd, that I just couldn't grasp.

Maybe it was his complete lack of concern for the events that had just occurred around him. Or maybe it was because he saw people before he judged them. He knew them as them, before he decided whether they were worthy for attention or not. Maybe it was because he was the complete opposite of any other guy in this school.

Sighing, I rubbed my temples, attempting to stop the headache that was threatening to take over. Being in detention made you think way too hard, I thought, as I looked up and caught Matilda glancing at me. I offered her the smallest of smiles, which she quickly returned before sitting down quietly in a corner and immersing herself in a … was that, a book? An actual, hard cover, more than one hundred words per page book? Not a magazine, but a real book.

Sitting back in what could only be some kind of… admiration, I watched as her eyebrows creased and she bit her lip, becoming list in another reality, another world, which was beginning to look more inviting than this world.

Glancing around the room quickly, I began to realise that each and every one of us were losing grip on the reality we'd strived so hard to hold onto. In front of our very eyes, our worlds were slowly, surely, falling to pieces.

My own reality was being tested every minute I say here, mulling over Dalby, or offering somewhat encouraging smiles to Matilda. Or bonding with Lucas. We were loosing touch, with no one but one another to pull us out.

But were any of us really ready to take that step, towards something akin to friendship, I wondered as I pulled out my diary, wanting to collect my thoughts, and put them all onto paper.

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As I sat massaging my freshly bruised knuckles, I pleaded silently with someone, please, please don't let him kill me later.

Yes, okay. Dalby scared the shit out of me. And I'd hit him. A damn good hit too. I don't know what came over me, but when Cassie had looked at me like I was less then human, like I didn't deserve to be here, I'd just, snapped.

She'd looked at me like I was someone who should be forgotten. Ironic, isn't it? Just when you remember, you in turn, are forgotten. Forgotten the moment you want to be remembered… for who you used to be… for who you could be once more.

Cassie Turner. How had you come walking back into my life? More importantly, why? You were always that girl who called me on my bullshit. You knew I wasn't a charmer deep down. You knew, once upon a time, I had no friends except for you and Matilda. You knew the real me.

And you made me ashamed of who I had become.

But she didn't see that. She just saw the jerk, the player who was too cool for anyone else.

Before we went away, Cassie knew the real me. Sometimes, I wondered if she had been the only one who ever got me.

And I'd forgotten she'd ever been a part of my life. I am a jerk, I thought angrily, I'm a dickhead and an idiot, I'm no better than the people I'm friends with either, I thought, considering the rude, obnoxious, dumb behaviour of my friends towards anyone they hadn't deemed 'worthy'.

And for the last half-hour, everyone had been no so subtly glancing between Matilda and myself, trying to figure out what had happened. What had gone on to make Cassie yell like that, to make me hit Dalby that hard.

I looked over to see whether Matilda was still trying to get a grasp on the situation, but she was curled up, her legs tucked under her body, head propped up by one hand, while the other hand held a book that was open in front of her.

Her eyes had become a little glazed over, all misty, like she was trying to hold back tears. Her face, usually cold and composed, was becoming pained and saddened. She was allowing her face to show her emotions. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, so to speak. So unlike Matilda.

Today was changing everything. Not even half way through the day and already _we _were changing… our beliefs, our feelings, our memories, everything.

Generally, I don't believe in deep thought, but that's all I appeared to have partaken in since this morning. Which could possibly be the scariest thought ever.

Beginning a conversation now, with anyone, would be both awkward and complicated, I thought, imagining the questions or the snappy remarks that would be made.

"_You'd punch people for picking on Turner any other day Hunter, or just today? She must be something of a side dish for you."_ Dalby would say, implying what he believed to be the obvious.

"_What happened there? What happened before to get us to there? What the hell is going on?" _Lucas' nerdy curiosity would get the better of him… and me. He'd be the next one I hit if he did that to me.

Belle would stare at me, doing her weird, psycho analytical thing, as she tries to figure out where my anger and aggression comes from. Good luck with that, I'd tell her. And once you know, tell me, won't you.

And Matilda? She'd look at me with sad eyes, knowing, remembering deep down who Cassie was to both of us. And in her usually cold eyes, there would be something similar to pity, and I didn't think I could handle her pity either.

So I did the only thing I believed to be suitable at the time.

I stood up angrily, knocking away the chair I'd been sitting on, and I walked away from the group. Walked away from their judgement, their analysis. From their hatred and their pity.

I ran, because running from your problems is easier than facing them. It delays it for that little but longer. I would find out later, however, that you can't stop the inevitable.

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I looked up just in time to see Henry storming off in another direction, much the way Cassie had done earlier. He simply needed time to cool off, I thought, to figure out everything in his head. Henry needed to do that to exist. I, on the other hand, shoved the last half hours moments into the back of my mind, where it would collect dust, without being dealt with. That was simply how I existed. How I worked.

I wasn't going to deal with the emotional repercussions of the resurfacing of my one time best friend who I'd worked so hard to forget. For her sake, I thought sadly, not mine.

Opening the book I held in my hands, I reread the page I had been on before Henry's quick exit. I'm not a reader by nature, but there was something overwhelmingly beautiful about this hidden part of the library. It was like an oasis in a desert. To me, there was something magical drawing me towards these books… the one in my hands in particular.

_The five people you meet in heaven. _

It wasn't particularly thick, and the writing wasn't small either. The language was easy enough to understand, especially for someone who, well, wasn't exactly dumb, but English isn't his or her forte.

The story simply flowed. From one event to the next. From one moment in time to another. From one painful memory to the next even more heartbreaking memory.

And this man, he was only about to die.

But death is simply the beginning, I thought as I slumped back into my chair and tried to become comfortable once more.

"_No story sits by itself."_ I read. _"Sometimes stories meet at corners and something they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river."_

All lives intersect/ Even if you don't want them too. And we all influence one another. Take us. The six people with nothing in common. Yet, we all know one another. We've all seen one another; we've all influenced what we think about, how we behave, who we are. Who we want to be.

This book, for all it's simplicity, was conveying the most significant message I may ever learn. That no matter who you are, your actions have consequences for you, but also for everyone else around you.

Closing the book, every painful memory I had hidden away deep within me resurfaced. The months of tears, before I left, then after I left. It all hurt too much to remember, so I left it all behind. Cassie was the one person, aside from Henry, who would be able to see past my lies into my soul. She had known me better than I knew myself.

We had spent every possible minute together, bonded from kindergarten. Other people joked she was the third Hunter twin. And when I left, I couldn't just forget that to begin with. Then I'd been offered a new life. One that was seemingly perfect, but underneath it was lonely and cold and full of pretending.

And I accepted it. Changed myself completely. Became someone new. Someone the old Matilda, along with Cassie, would have mocked. Someone they promised each other they'd never become.

It all came rushing back so quickly, as I felt hot tears prickling in the corners of my eyes. Furiously, I wiped them away, hoping that no one would notice.

Thankfully, Henry chose that exact moment to come running up, causing a racket by knocking over another chair. Dalby, Belle and Lucas looked up at him as he said two words. "Hyde's coming."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, we bolted. The last thing any of us wanted was another Saturday detention.

A solitary thought crossed my mind as I sprinted as best I could to beat Hyde back.

"What about Cassie?"

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AN: Thanks Nicole, you're a star.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a real book. And a brilliant one at that. More drama coming, I promise, and more interaction too. Thanks for sticking it out with me!


	6. Chapter 6: Escape

**Disclaimer:** I own nada. 

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Six: Escape_

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As we sprinted back I couldn't help but wonder how we could be brought together so easily just to face an advisory such as Hyde. Were we that weak? Or was Hyde that formidable an opponent that we needed to band together to bring him down? Suddenly, it was no longer each man (or woman) for their own, it was now us versus. Him. And with all the pent up anger and frustration in the group, we were finally going to stick it to the man.

We rounded a corner and the tables came into sight. I let out a sigh of relief as I realised Hyde was nowhere in sight.

"Are you sure he was coming?" I said, turning to Henry as we sat down in our seats we'd occupied that morning.

"Yes" Henry replied "I was going outside and I saw him walking down the hallway to that entry" He finished, pointing to the door just as it swung open violently, Hyde's shadow in clear view.

Sucking in my breath, I watched as we all turned our faces down, hoping Hyde would come in, have a bit of a yell then leave us be.

But with evil like Hyde, nothing was ever certain.

"Well, well, well." He said snidely as he walked slowly towards the group. "A little mid morning chatter going on here?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and waiting for a response.

Silence.

"What's going on?" He barked loudly to everyone.

We all kept our faces down, unwilling to face the wrath of our evil principle.

With nothing more than silence, he picked the weakest of us all to terrorize. Or rather, whom he believed to be the weakest.

"Miss Hunter, care to inform me of what your little conversation was about just then?" He asked in a sickly sweet voice.

Looking up finally, Matilda met his cold eyes with her own icy ones. "Why sir, Lucas and Henry were wondering if it's a crime to lock us in here without offering toilet or food breaks. Surely there must be something in the child protection laws…" she began just as sweetly as Hyde had, before he cut her off abruptly.

"Continue with such insolence and rudeness, Miss Hunter, and you'll find yourself back in that chair next week" Hyde spat venomously at her.

The thought of another Saturday detention shut Matilda right up then. I was impressed that she had dared to do that to Hyde. She had more backbone than I ever gave her credit for.

"She does have a point sir." A voice said rather spitefully from the back. "You have yet to even offer a bathroom break. What if some of us have weak bladders?" Cassie finished, sitting back and smirking at Hyde.

Growling, instead of bothering to repeat himself, Hyde screamed "You have five minutes" as he pointed towards the door. "Don't tempt me to give you a reason to bring you all back next week." He screamed as we all practically ran out the door.

"Thanks Cassie" Matilda said quietly as we walked towards the closest toilets. But Cassie didn't reply. She simply put her nose in the air and walked quickly in front of everyone, which left Matilda crushed momentarily before resuming her ice-queen persona.

Girls, I thought as we rounded a corner silently, who would ever really understand them?

Approaching the toilets, the three girls followed one another awkwardly in, leaving Henry, Dalby and myself standing around, left in our own awkward silence.

Realising that the three of us had left the room for the same reason, I mulled over conversation openers, basically because I hated the silence that had come over us. Just as I was about to ask Dalby about his favourite make of car, because he struck me as a car guy, Henry turned and asked me "Do you have a thing for my sister?"

I was so shocked by the question I stood gaping with my mouth, trying to figure out how one answers a question such as that. Finally deciding to take the safe route, I answered "Doesn't everyone? She's Matilda Hunter… an ideal"

Henry scoffed at this before replying "I thought you have had more sense than that Holden. She's not ideal… I thought you of all people would see how far from ideal she is."

"Cassie is far from ideal, but you haven't been able to keep your eyes off her all morning. Does that mean you like her?" Dalby retorted, in what I initially believed to be my defense, before I clicked that he just wanted to have a go at Henry.

"I could say the same thing about you and Taylor" Henry snapped as the girls toilets opened loudly, and the three girls came into view.

None of them appeared to show any signs of hearing the conversation that had just taken place. However as I said "Shit, we gotta get back" Matilda walked past and winked at me before saying "Never picked you as the swearing type" before turning back to Cassie and Belle, as they all began giggling together.

Henry, Dalby and I were stunned into momentary silence, before we all swore "Shit."

-

-

-

How much had they heard? I thought as Dalby, Lucas and I entered the library to find Belle, Matilda and Cassie all sitting together, and Hyde fuming.

"What the hell time do you call this?" Hyde yelled.

What the hell happened in that bathroom in… not even five minutes? I pondered, sitting down ignoring Hyde as he ranted and raved about tardiness not being acceptable.

"We were like, five seconds late" Dalby muttered under his breath, annoyed at Hyde as usual.

"Something you'd like to share Mr. Dalby?" Hyde sneered at him.

"Not in the least" Dalby replied as he sat back into his chair.

"Well I'd suggest you keep your mouth firmly shut next time." Hyde bellowed at him, before addressing the rest of the group. "I'm going to lunch. But don't think this means you actually get free reign of this place. Like I'm that stupid."

"That's what you think" Dalby muttered, as Lucas and I held back a smirk.

"I've asked Phil to drop by every ten minutes to make sure you're still here. To make sure you're bored. To make sure you pay for the mistakes you made to be here. The first ten minutes are for eating, the rest, for sitting in mind numbing silence." He finished, glaring at each of us as he walked out.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Dalby shot out of his seat and walked towards the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked, "I'm not getting another detention because you leave" I half yelled at him.

Dalby turned around and gave me his famous smirk.

"Any idea who Phil is?" He asked, as I shook my head.

"I assumed as much. Phil is the janitor. He and I have become good friends, considering the amount of time I spend here after school." Dalby continued.

"Why am I not surprised by this information?" I said, shaking my head. That comment earned me a glare from Dalby before he continued once more.

"We both hate Hyde. He treats us both like shit. Phil wouldn't bother to check on us, therefore we have approximately an hour and a half to kill. I'm getting out of here." He finished, pushing the door open and checking, somewhat cautiously, that the coast was clear.

There was a scuffle behind me, as Matilda, Belle and Cassie stood up, grabbed their things and walked out the door that Dalby was still holding open.

Then, to my surprise, I saw Lucas get up and follow Dalby towards the door.

"You coming?" He asked me as he turned around.

"Do I have a choice?" I mumbled as I quickly grabbed my stuff and followed the group out the door.

This was stupid. Since when did I follow Dalby? Since when did I trust Dalby's word? Since when did those three become so buddy buddy? I thought as I watched the three girls walk together, occasionally whispering to one another, then bursting into giggles.

How do they go into bathroom's enemies, and come out best friends, I pondered as Dalby led us towards a part of the school I generally avoided.

"And we're going this way because?" I asked Dalby as I caught up with him.

"We're going exploring" he replied gleefully as we went down another hallway.

"But you already know this part of the school like the back of your hand." I replied "It's practically home to you."

"Yeah, but you lot know nothing about it." He replied "Let's just say, while we're exploring, I'll be educating you." He finished, somewhat cryptically as he strode off.

"Where do you think he's really talking us?" Lucas asked from beside me.

"You actually think I understand the twisted mind that is Eric Dalby?" I replied, slightly shocked.

"My bad." Lucas replied, as I found myself sharing a quiet chuckle with him.

It was rather unnerving that I could talk so easily with the nerd.

"All I know is that Dalby is one of a kind. Maybe he knows something about this place that no one else does." I said, as Dalby stopped infront of a closed door.

"You're damn right he does Henry Hunter" Dalby said, obviously having heard the last part of our brief conversation.

"What's this then?" I asked suspiciously "Looks just like another door to another classroom."

In reply, Dalby simply opened the door to reveal stairs going up and down.

"Okay," I backtracked "Another stairwell." I finished, raising my eyebrow at him.

"Correct, but where does it go, nobody knows." He said in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Willy Wonka, before walking up the stairs.

"And we're just blindly following him, with no idea of his mental stability." I said to myself as I watched the strangely subdued females scurry past, before Lucas patted me on my shoulder and said, "Sometimes, you just need to have a little faith."

"Or a death wish" I replied cynically as I followed everyone else, just because it appeared to be the thing to do. Who'd have thought at nine that morning, that it would be me with no backbone?

-

-

-

Up the winding staircase I took them. They have no idea of what they are about to see, I thought, somewhat happily. Imagine someone like me knowing about something like this. I know more about this school than they'll ever know, thanks to the many places I'd found conveniently when I was supposed to be in class.

I heard the hushed whispering of the girls behind me, and began to wonder why they had been so chummy since their trip to the bathroom. What was going on there, I thought as I began the final steps that led to the doorway.

When everyone had eventually reached the top I waited for silence. "Feel honored, because I've never shared this with anyone. Behold… the hidden roof." I said, as I swung open the door to reveal the schools forgotten rooftop garden that had become wild with years of being unkempt.

In awe of the area, everyone stumbled into the bright sunshine like they were in the Land of Oz. The girls, continuing with their bonding, fled the scene, Matilda and Cassie apparently being dragged by Taylor off to some secret corner away from us.

Henry and Lucas were still looking around, while I smiled slightly, and went to find my own little corner of the world. To my surprise, Henry and Lucas followed me, and sat down, somewhat uncertainly, across from me.

Another awkward silence came over us, briefly interrupted by the faint sounds of the girls chatter and laughter.

"What the hell happened in that bathroom?" Henry growled, turning to face the area the noise was coming from.

"Why are you so curious?" I asked back "Afraid Matilda is revealing secrets from your not-so-manly past?" I finished, smirking as he turned back to glare at me.

"No. If you haven't noticed, Matilda, and hell, even Belle and Cassie, they aren't exactly the friendliest, warmest people in the world. Even Matilda's friends think she's an ice-queen. So why, and how, did they bond like that?" He replied, his face remaining oddly calm.

"He has a point." Lucas spoke up. "They weren't even speaking when they went into that bathroom. Now they're best friends. It doesn't work out, doesn't make sense. Plus, you know, the tension between Matilda and Cassie? You could cut it with a knife. It's all so, illogical." He finished, throwing his arms up in frustration.

I simply smirked and shook my head at the two. "You're both over looking the simplest factor in this situation. They are females. It's their birthright to allude males. To confuse the hell out of us. To put us under their spell. Can't you see that?" I finished, hopeful my rant would rally the spirits of my downtrodden troops.

"So you're not in the least bit curious about what went on in that bathroom?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I want to know every detail." I said honestly, "But let's face it, they won't share with us" I continued, sounding defeated.

"Maybe they won't have a say in the matter" Henry said mysteriously, looking towards Lucas and myself.

"And how do you plan on that exactly? If you hadn't noticed, those three aren't exactly weak, they wouldn't spill if we tried to force it out of them in any way, shape or form." I said, as Lucas added, "It's all part of the female code of silence."

"What if it were part of a game…" Henry continued, ignoring the response from Lucas and I.

"What kind of...ohh" I marveled, as everything clicked into place.

How obvious, how devious, how clever, how…

"Juvenile." Lucas said, "It's all rather childish, isn't it? Like something that was played in secret at your tenth birthday party. Not something almost seventeen year-olds play."

"Kid, you need to get out more." Henry said, patting him on the back. "Some of the truths that have been revealed while I've been at drunken ragers…." he paused, reliving memories "So, do you think it would work?"

"Only if we play our cards right." I finally agreed. "We can't just open with it. That's too obvious. They'll be guarded enough already. So we have to play it cool. Get them to open up. Plus, there are some questions I've been dying to ask them."

"Figures" Henry mumbled, as Lucas said "So, we need a plan."

Who'd have thought I'd end up conspiring with these two? I thought, as we all shifted to face one another and talk tactics.

Those girls really didn't know how much they drove us crazy, I summed up.

-

-

-

I slipped in easily, as everyone else was lost in his or her own worries about whether Hyde was actually coming back. Henry and Lucas looked about ready to begin their next yelling match when Hyde ever so modestly entered the room. What was up with this guy anyway? I thought, as he began to attack the group. Did he have some horrible hidden childhood that made him want to tear teenagers to shreds?

No one answered his question, which only seemed to anger him more. So he went for the ice-queen. After all, princess wouldn't be able to go another weekend without shopping, or lying around doing nothing on the beach except being wolf-whistled at, I thought rather bitterly.

Wait, did she just… mock Hyde? My ears must be deceiving me. Matilda Hunter actually thinking for herself, actually using her brain?

And she'd done it so angelically, as if she were the innocent one in the situation. Of course Hyde was all over this, threatening her with another weekend detention if she dared to continue with this rude manner. How like Hyde, I mused, as Matilda almost refused to be crushed by these threats. Growing a backbone as well, who'd have thought it?

It was right about now I did the strangest of things. I agreed with Matilda.

"She does have a point sir." I said, before I could stop myself. I felt everyone turn around to look at me and something similar to relief flashed across Matilda's eyes. I looked at Hyde and continued. "You have yet to offer even a bathroom break. What if some of us have weak bladders?" I finished, raising an eyebrow as I sat back in my seat.

Hyde said something harshly before pointing to the door. Taking that as a sign that we'd been granted a toilet visit, I breezed past their stunned faces and walked into the hallway. I couldn't wait to get out of that damn room, and all the memories it had managed to dredge up.

There was a movement beside me, and suddenly I was joined by Matilda.

"Thanks" She said quietly, offering me a small smile.

I was so not in the mood for apologies right now. I'd given up on those a long time ago, and right now, all I wanted to do was forget all about it once more. For things to return to the normalcy that had once existed before this stupid, sucky, Saturday detention. When we were all in ignorance of each others existence, when we were all in ignorance of our own existence.

There had been an escape route offered to me a long time ago. A way that allowed me to numb my pain. To begin to make myself whole again. And I'd taken it. Because at the tender age of twelve, the loss of your best (and only) friend, could tear you apart.

So I walked away from whatever Matilda was offering. Walked away from the silent plea of forgiveness… there are some things in life that are too hard to forgive.

I pushed open the toilet door, not bothering to hold it open for anyone who chose to follow me in. Walking towards the end stall, I pushed the door roughly open before slamming it back and locking it. Sitting down, my head fell into my hands as I wondered why these inanimate objects were enduring my anger and frustration. I was usually so direct. I had no problem telling mum and dad and my bratty sister to drop off the face of the earth when I was ever so slightly annoyed with them. After all these years, why could Matilda Hunter still make my blood boil?

Betrayal was the worst kind of pain to face, and the dull, aching reminder that today had brought back was not helping my mood in the least. Sighing, I stood up before slamming my forehead against the door, hoping this would let all my anger seep out of me. No such luck. Instead, I left the cubicle rubbing my now throbbing forehead.

I looked up to see Belle and Matilda staring at me; Belle with interest, Matilda with concern. Ignoring them, I walked quietly over to the sink, wetting my hands and splashing cool water over my face. I continued to feel their eyes on me… and it all just came crashing down around me. All the pain, the fear, the loss… everything I had felt before I'd shoved it away into the back of my mind.

-

-

-

My arms instinctively wrapped around as I pulled her gently towards me, letting her cry on my shoulder. Sometimes, even the strongest of them fall down. Belle stood awkwardly to the side, having realised this was a moment between old friends, or new enemies.

Cassie's sobs subsided into sniffles, but our arms remained around one another until Belle motioned for the two of us to silently join her at the door. I raised an eyebrow but grabbed Cassie's hand, putting a finger to my lips, implying silence. We crept to the door and as we stood next to Belle, I found we could hear a conversation that the boys were having.

"Doesn't everyone…" I heard Lucas reply "She's Matilda Hunter… an ideal"

Cassie and Belle both smirked at me, while I rolled my eyes, pretending not to care. Catching back up to the conversation, Henry said "She's far from ideal" to which Dalby replied "Cassie is far from ideal, but you haven't been able to keep your eyes off her…".

Now it was my turn to smirk at Cassie, but she simply raised an eyebrow, as if questioning me about my brothers behaviour. I shrugged in response, like I actually understood the way my brothers mind worked.

Henry bit back at Dalby then, snarling "I could say the same about you and Taylor"

"I've had enough of this." Belle muttered at the sound of her name, shaking her head and pushing open the bathroom door, dragging Cassie and I alongside her.

We were met with silence, before Lucas said, "Shit, we gotta get back."

Belle rolled her eyes at Dalby, and Cassie just looked at Henry, but I couldn't help it. As we breezed past the boys, I winked at Lucas before saying "I thought you weren't the swearing type.", which caused Cassie and Belle to erupt into giggles, as the boys all swore 'Shit' aloud. Now, they knew that we knew.

We walked ahead together, and entered the library a fair way ahead of the boys. Belle continued to drag Cassie and I with her, and pushed me firmly towards the end chair that was next to hers, and motioned for Cassie to occupy the one on the other side. Apparently she was all about the girl power.

Hyde simply glared his usual glare at us before shouting at the boys who arrived moments later.

Ignoring any looks Lucas was giving me, I tuned out of whatever Hyde was saying until I saw Dalby making a beeline towards the door. This was definitely a new development, why oh why hadn't I paid attention?

Nudging Belle, I whispered quietly "What's going on? They look about ready to fight… again."

"Hyde's gone for lunch. Dalby is personal friends with the janitor and knows for certain he won't dob us in if we leave… which, we are." She finished sternly as she once again pulled Cassie and myself up before shoving us towards the door.

I heard a final noise and as I looked behind me I found an, almost, excited Lucas, a sulking Henry and a smirking Dalby following us.

A small smile formed on my face as I turned around, and it didn't go unnoticed by Belle or Cassie.

"You like him, don't you?" Belle asked.

"Who?" I replied, playing innocent, for now at least.

Rolling her eyes, as Belle usually did, she looked over her shoulder before looking back to me and saying "Lucas"

Shrugging the name off, I decided to play it cool. "He intrigues me. That's all. I've never met a guy who…"

"Wasn't into you?" Cassie suggested, as I feigned hurt before slowly nodding my head.

At this, Cassie and Belle started giggling uncontrollably, while I looked between the two, thinking they'd gone mad.

"Welcome to the club honey" Cassie said "It took you a while but you finally joined the 'I've been rejected by the unrejectable' club."

"Get used to disappointment" Belle added in "Life isn't always rainbows and butterflies, sometimes wild storms and chaos reign supreme for a while."

"You're beginning to give me a headache" I muttered, as Cassie and Belle laughed once more.

Eventually the boys took the lead, as we followed Dalby into the 'bad' end of the school.

"I've never been here before" I whispered to Belle and Cassie, both of whom had wry smiles on their faces.

"That's okay, there are no baddies here on a Saturday." Cassie commented, as Belle said "Unless you count Dalby, but he's not really a baddie, is he?"

Frowning slightly, I wondered what they could mean, and where the hell Dalby was taking us.

-

-

-

Looking away from Matilda's slightly confused face, I saw the boys had come to a stop outside a door. They were talking about following Dalby, but I really couldn't be bothered. Walking straight past them, I marched Matilda and Cassie into the stairwell and began walking up the stairs.

Using the silence that had fallen over us, I pondered the scene I had been witness to in the bathroom. Cassie, after appearing to be angry and frustrated all day, had broken down and let Matilda soothe her. Then, after that strange conversation the boys had had, I decided that we three needed to stick together until all emotions and feelings had been sorted out.

And my mission was about to commence as soon as we reached wherever we were going. Dalby had overtaken up a moment ago, and was now waiting infront of another door. As we joined him, he smirked before saying "Feel special, because I've never shared this with anyone. Behold, the hidden roof."

I momentarily stood in wonder before my resolve to fix Matilda and Cassie took hold and I dragged them off. All this good karma must be helping me, I thought, considering how nice and not selfish this act of kindness was. Not to mention I was completely curious about their relationship, which was tension filled because of things that had been considered long dead and buried.

Pulling them into a sunny corner, I sat down and gestured for them to sit. As Matilda sat down she asked suspiciously "Why are you being so nice Belle? This morning you couldn't wait for someone to lay into me, now you're being all friendly. It makes no sense."

"What, you'd rather the rest of the day be as awkward as the first half? Or better yet, I could leave you alone with the boys, I'm sure Lucas would love that?"

"Okay" She said, raising her hands in defeat. "You win Belle."

"Yes I do, so answer me this question. What happened back there?" I said bluntly and honestly, because I believed that to be the best approach.

Matilda and Cassie looked to one another before looking shyly away. It was as if they were searching for their own answers before they could answer me.

"Clearly you two have some things to sort out, I'm just pushing you along a bit."

Another look was shared between the two.

"See? So maybe you need some time alone or whatever…" I said, trailing off and standing up, preparing to walk away, but Cassie stopped me.

"What I think we need is just time." She said quietly, looking between Matilda and me "Just to sort things in our own heads. But what w can discuss right now…" She said a bit louder "Is the conversation we heard. You and Dalby ay?"

Rolling my eyes, I somewhat happily sat back down and said "Please, like that would ever happen. I do have standards"

"Yeah right." Matilda said, butting in "I've seen the looks you two have been giving one another. And even if it is completely one sided, what about the crushed look that flashed across his face when we found you with Lucas in the library?" she finished, smirking at me.

"Speaking of Lucas, you and he were also looking chummy, care to share?" Cassie said, joining in the taunting.

"We were just talking." I cried loudly.

"Uh huh, that's what they all say." Matilda replied

"Okay, what about Henry not being able to take his eyes off you?" I replied to Cassie, pointing an accusing finger at her "You can't tell me that's completely one sided, you were looking at him once or twice too."

"I can tell you it's one sided, because it completely is. Why would I go for him, he's everything I'm not." She started, before Matilda cut her off.

"And opposites so clearly attract. I mean, so often you fall for the last guy you thought you would? Why do you think all those teen movies sell so well? They all reflect real life." She finished smugly.

"So take some of your own advice and admit that you like Lucas." Cassie said, pushing her slightly.

"He's got this Seth Cohen thing going on, big deal. Doesn't mean there would be a happily ever after."

"Mmm, I was always more of a Chino girl." I said, sighing, which caused the three of us to burst into laughter.

"We're obviously not getting anywhere." I laughed between breaths.

"And I'm hungry." Matilda said randomly.

"You actually eat?" I mocked, as she poked her tongue out while digging through her bag.

"I eat plenty" she grumbled as she pulled out… was that…?

"Sushi. Want some? There's no raw fish, strictly chicken and avocado." Matilda said brightly.

"No thanks. I think I'll just stick to my peanut putter sandwich."

Matilda shrugged before biting into the seaweed wrapped food.

Cassie had pulled out her own food and we ate in silence until there was a noise behind us and we all turned to see the three boys approaching us.

"Good," Dalby said "You've eaten."

"So…" Matilda urged him to continue.

"We're going to play a game."

-

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AN: Thanks Katya for taking on this story! You seriously rock. So, that was a bit different eh? And pretty long. The next chapters are going to be a bit different too, and much shorter, but I hope you enjoy them all the same. Thanks to all who reviewed, you made my day!


	7. Chapter 7: Secrets

Disclaimer: I own nothing 

**AN#1**: Mixing it up a bit. Only Maddie/Belle/Cassie POV in this chapter. Next chapter will be all boys POV.

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Seven: Secrets_

-

-

I raised an eyebrow and repeated Dalby's last statement. "We're going to play a game."

"Yep." He replied nonchalantly, as he slid into the space beside me.

"What kind of game?" Matilda asked, but was distracted from her question as soon as Lucas sat down next to her. She jumped a little, having not really expected him to do that. Then, she began shifting herself, so she was a tad further away from him.

"The truth or dare kind." Henry replied for Dalby as he sat down, shock horror, next to Cassie.

There was a simultaneous groan from Cassie, Matilda and myself, before we looked up, met one another's eyes and all began giggling.

"Are we missing something?" Lucas asked as he nudged Henry, who was looking almost as confused as Dalby looked.

Eventually, we calmed down and shared another look, before Cassie said, "We're in."

"Huh, all that for a 'we're in'? Girls are so strange." Henry said, which earned him a whack in the arm from Cassie, followed by a mockingly sweet smile as he glared at her and rubbed the spot she'd so graciously attacked.

"We're in." Matilda confirmed as I nodded. "Who goes first?"

I watched as the boys shared a look. No good could come from that look, I thought to myself, as their faces transformed from overwhelmed to confident… poker faced almost.

I wondered silently how long it would take them to crack, as Dalby began to explain their oh so 'gee we just had this idea like, fifteen minutes ago therefore giving us tons of time to plan, but don't tell the girls' rules.

"We start." Dalby began, before I interrupted him.

"We? No, not going to happen. Truth or Dare is an 'each man for their own' kinda game. So that's how it will work." I said firmly, as Dalby glared at me.

"Would you let me finish?" He asked, as I raised an eyebrow, but kept my mouth shut.

"We start. We've got one question prepared each."

"I knew they were up to something" I heard Matilda mutter under her breath, and I had to stifle the giggle that threatened.

Dalby shot her a glare before continuing once more. "So we get to ask first. Then it's your turn." He finished, sitting back and smirking at us.

"Do we get a chance to confer on our questions?" Cassie asked sarcastically as she moved slightly away from Henry, to his utter disappointment.

"We didn't collaborate." Lucas insisted "We simply bounced a few idea's off one another." He said, his voice growing quieter as Matilda raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.

"But we figured, you girls would be fine with it because you're clever enough to know what you want to know." Lucas said quickly, hoping to save himself from humiliation.

I let out a low whistle before saying, "Good save."

"It's a little unconventional, but I guess that's the definition of this group, sitting on a rooftop playing truth or dare. So I'm in." Cassie finally said, as I saw Matilda nodding in agreement.

"Fine." I said, "I'm in too. Now, who exactly goes first?"

I watched the sly grin cross Dalby's face slowly, as he answered, rather happily, "Me."

I couldn't help the groan that escaped my lips, I swear.

It just kinda, came out.

-

-

-

I smiled as I watched Belle groan. She so knew what was coming. As did I. If Eric Dalby got to go first, then ten bucks said the first question of the day would be thrown to… Belle. It was just so predictable I had to laugh. And I did, until I felt Lucas's eyes on me. I turned to look at him, raising a questioning eyebrow at him, until he leant down and whispered in my ear "You think that's funny, guess who gets second question?"

I shivered slightly before regaining composure and shrugging off his closeness. How the hell does he get under my skin? Make me feel so… unlike me. With one glance, one look… one quirky comment, all the walls I'd built so high around me come crashing down. No one should have that kind of power.

I felt Lucas tap my arm gently and it snapped me out of my thoughts. I watched as Dalby moved in closer to Belle, an evil grin across his face. These boys were enjoying this way too much.

"Okay Taylor." He began "Truth or Dare?"

She bit her lip, truly contemplating the question, before she sat back and said "Truth".

"Okay Taylor." Dalby said "Why are you here?"

"That's it?" Belle spat out, confused as hell. "No, 'What happened in your childhood to make you see the world through your oh-so-cynical eyes? Or any traumatic events that have made you who you are? Better what, what about questions with underlying sexual implications?" Belle ranted on and on.

Eventually, Dalby placed a hand over her mouth and left it there until it looked as if she'd finally shut up.

"No, none of that. Why are you here?" He asked, removing his hand as Belle glared at him.

"God you've got a short memory Dalby, all the alcohol affecting the brain? You were in class when I got in trouble, remember?" Belle finished sarcastically.

"Oh yeah." Dalby replied, a small, satisfied smile crossing his face.

I shared a concerned look with Belle, as we both drew the same conclusion. They were really up to something. And it was not good, not good at all.

"My turn." Lucas said happily from beside me as he began to stare me down. I sighed, resigned to the fact that the question was obviously going to be directed at me, when he did something that knocked me for six.

In a moment, he'd looked straight past me and said loudly "Cassie, truth or dare?"

Cassie. He'd asked Cassie.

And I felt something akin to rejection boil through my blood.

Cassie raised a questioning eyebrow at Lucas, her eyes darting quickly between Belle and myself, as if asking 'What should I do?'

The only answer I could give her was a small shrug, saying 'Sorry girl, I don't know what is going on any more.'

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she replied truth. Henry looked grief stricken next to her, as if truth was the last thing in the world he wanted to hear her say, but she'd made her choice.

Lucas smiled, before asking "Why did you attack Henry in the Library?"

And his question was as simple as that. It was like they weren't even trying to play the game, more like they just wanted to be near us… in a sick, twisted kind of way.

Cassie turned to look at Henry, and studied him for a while. He didn't break eye contact, if anything, he strengthened the hold, until Cassie finally looked away and back at Lucas.

"For things past, and things present, for everything and nothing. Because he represents everything I hate about school, about adolescence, about people. Because he was the closest thing to lash out at, and because Dalby gave me an opening. And because of our history." She finished quietly.

"Which is?" Lucas prodded.

"Nope," I interrupted, shaking my finger at Lucas "Only one question at a time. That means,"

"It's my turn" Henry said, looking directly at me.

-

-

-

Belle had Dalby. Fair enough. Lucas picked me. Slightly out of the ordinary, but I could deal. But Henry and Matilda, well, I knew once upon a time, how susceptible their relationship was to pressure. How one would crack, and strike out completely at the other. How within minutes, both could be red faced from screaming at one another. And they had only been twelve years old at the time.

Now they were staring each other down right infront of my very eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder if history would repeat itself once more.

"Truth or Dare Maddikins."

"Don't call me that." Matilda replied forcefully as she crossed her arms across her chest, a mannerism which meant she was truly annoyed at him.

"Truth, I guess. I wouldn't trust you with a dare." She replied evenly, not meeting his eyes.

A wide smile formed across his face, as he leant down closer, uttering the words I'd dreaded since we left the library.

"What happened in the bathroom before?"

Matilda's eyes snapped up from the spot they'd been staring at on the ground, but instead of meeting Henry's eyes, she met mine.

I saw her anguish, her confusion, and most of all, I saw her lack of betrayal, and I knew what she was going to do. She was going to lie. I smiled tiredly at her, and shook my head. Everything was clear now. They just wanted to know, wanted to know how girls could hate one another one minute, then be best friends the next.

They would never fully understand, but they still wanted to know, they wanted to be included into the ritual bonding that was taking place. And who was I to stop it?

Matilda took a deep breath before saying quietly "Cassie and I, we just, fixed things. That's all."

Dalby, Henry and Lucas all looked at her, waiting for her to continue, obviously unsatisfied with the response.

"We realised some stuff, about one another, and about ourselves, and everything that's been thrown away in the last four years." Matilda continued, speaking to me instead of them now "That we've both changed, but that doesn't mean we have to hate one another."

She sighed, smiling sadly at me, which quickly turned into an evil grin as she finished "Oh yea, I'm an ideal, right Lucas?" She said, to Lucas, as he blushed and looked away, "And you two haven't been able to keep your eyes of two certain brunette's either." She finally finished, as Belle and I both cracked up at the embarrassed look on their faces as they turned away.

Trust Matilda Hunter to turn a drowning situation into a rescue mission.

Rubbing his neck which was slightly red from his blush, Lucas was, surprisingly enough, the first to recover. "Okay, so you heard the conversation. Would you care to share your thoughts?"

"How about, no." Belle replied instantly.

"Yep, they are for us to know, and you lot to never find out." I said, laughing along with Belle and Matilda as all three boys groaned in unison.

"Besides," I added, looking happily between Matilda and Belle, knowing that we could take them down now, "Isn't it OUR turn to ask the questions now?"

Another groan.

"Paybacks a bitch boys." Matilda said "Get ready to play Truth or Dare our way."

"No fair," Dalby cut in "We set out the rules at the beginning."

"Well the rules are changing." I stated simply.

"Says who." Henry challenged.

"Says us." Belle replied,

"Now suck it up boys, it's time to play dare or dare." I finished.

"What now?" Dalby asked, looking completely lost.

"Dare or Dare. Basically, we say, and you do. Too hard for your puny brains?" Matilda asked sweetly, mockingly.

"I'm in." Lucas said, staring at Matilda, who looked slightly shocked by his expression.

That boy could surprise you in the strangest ways.

"Me too." Dalby said, not to be out done by who he believed to be the biggest geek in the school.

Henry apparently, wanted to prove his manhood too. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Rubbing my hands together, I said, "Belle, let the fun begin."

-

-

-

My eyes darted around looking each member of our little circle of friends in the eye. The boys had wanted to know one thing and one alone… what can happen to make three girls who hate one another, not hate one another. It was as simple as that for them.

For me, I didn't know what I wanted to do. There were so many plausible options. There was so much sexual tension that I could always play with that, and then there were always the ever-embarrassing same sex tendencies that came out during such games.

Momentarily I had flashes of Henry and Dalby… and I shuddered at the thought… I was not going there, not now, not EVER.

Instead, I thought about the conversation that we'd heard while in the bathroom. And all their feelings that had been unwittingly revealed to us.

Looking between Matilda and Lucas, and Henry and Cassie, and finally, towards Dalby, I wondered if I began this now, whether Matilda and Cassie would have the nerve to finish it... like I hoped they would.

"Henry" I said sharply, turning to face him fully "Dare or dare."

He sighed deeply, and looked almost, shell shocked to be chosen first.

"Dare" he replied finally, as if he had another choice.

"I dare you…" I said, sucking in a breath, delaying the moment for as long as I could. "tokissCassie" I said quickly, running the words together in a rush.

Cassie turned to glare at me, while Henry gaped at the dare that had just been thrown out there. Matilda looked highly amused at the situation that was playing out infront of her, while Lucas began the "Wooting".

But Dalby? Dalby, he just stared directly at me, locking eyes with my own, reading them, knowing exactly what I had done, and, why I had done it.

I looked away, not able to bare his scrutiny. I turned to watch Henry cup Cassie's cheek and softly connect his lips to hers. There was no hunger or lust in the kiss; there was something more… something I couldn't understand or comprehend, because there was something between them that only they understood.

Them and Matilda, I guessed, as she smiled slightly, as if seeing something she knew was inevitable.

Something I kind of wished I could see too.

Henry pulled back, his eyes opened, his hand remained on Cassie's cheek momentarily. Her eyes remained shut for longer, as if she were trying to keep the moment for that much longer. They opened lazily, and she gave Henry a smile that made me wish we weren't here.

A smile that I knew would be reserved for him.

-

-

-

Cassie blinked several times as if she was trying to get her baring back. That kiss had effected her a fair bit, but then again, apparently my brother had a way with kisses. He had sat back and simply continued to look at Cassie in the same, amazed way he had been all day.

He truly was infatuated with the girl that was for sure.

Cassie's fingers traced lines on her lips, like she were savoring the moment, while Dalby and Lucas were whistling and cat calling, causing her to finally blush.

"Your turn." Belle said mischievously, grinning from ear to ear now that the desired effect of her handiwork had been accomplished.

Cassie turned to glare at her, but as they shared a look, I saw Cassie begin to grin evilly too.

"Lucas, Dare or Dare." She half smirked.

"Well, I don't know, there's so many choices." Lucas said in an attempt at sarcasm. "How about a dare." He finished daringly.

"I dare you to… kiss Matilda." Cassie said as her fingers continued to trace her lips, where, only moments before, Henry's mouth had been.

My jaw dropped open in surprise, in shock, in complete horror. How could she betray me like this, now, after everything we'd already been though… okay so it wasn't that dramatic, but kissing the video/audio geek of the school. .

I opened my mouth in protest, my voice was lost as Lucas' lips pressed themselves lightly against my own. An involuntary shiver ran down my back as my body fought against giving into the kiss. My eyes remained open for as long as they could, before finally gave into the kiss. Moving closer to Lucas, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to me.

His tongue slid across my bottom lip, begging to deepen the kiss, which I gratefully allowed. His hands pulled on my waist, drawing me even closer, so eventually I was almost sitting on his lap. My hands had become entangled in his hair as our tongues battled for dominance, a fight that neither of us was willing to give up on.

Pulling away only when we realised the obvious need for oxygen to breathe, I rested my forehead against his own and whispered, to him, to myself, to no one in particular, "Nerds aren't supposed to kiss like that."

-

-

-

Matilda momentarily relaxed into Lucas' embrace, before realising the magnitude of what she'd done. And where she was sitting.

She pulled fully away from him and snapped her head towards the group and said sternly "Tell anyone, and I will get you. You do not want to mess with me." She finished threatening, before sitting stiffly back, just waiting for someone to challenge her.

"And the ice-queen is back." Belle muttered under her breath, causing everyone, except Matilda, to grin.

Lucas even managed to give a little smile, despite the fact he was probably more than a little hurt by Matilda's comments. So I decided to try and reach out to her, and bring it back to the fact that…

"It's only a game." I said aloud, giving Matilda a small, encouraging smile.

All I got in reply was a small 'hmph', before an evil smile crossed her face.

"Finally," She said, "My turn. Eric, Dare or dare?"

"Dare" Dalby replied as he rolled his eyes, "Matilda" He said, drawing out her name, I guessed because he felt slightly insulted at being called "Eric"

"Why break tradition?" She said sardonically, smirking towards Belle, who groaned, knowing exactly what was coming. "I dare you to kiss Belle over there." She finished, motioning with her head to where Belle sat.

Rather than smirking back at her, Dalby smiled brightly before crawling over towards Belle.

Belle's face remained neutral, not showing any change of emotion, any anticipation, any excitement, any fear was well hidden beneath a perfectly perfected façade.

He leant across to her, and Belle closed her eyes, showing momentarily the expectation she was feeling. His arm moved around her pulled her closer and….

-

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-

**AN#2:** Thanks to Katya for proof reading :)

Sorry. I hate to leave you hanging, but I felt, this story needed a bit of a cliffhanger. Did it work…?

I thought not, you're all too smart for me.

Thanks for the reviews.


	8. Chapter 8: Lies

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Enjoy.

**-**

**-**

**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter 8: Lies_

-

-

"Crap" I swore, pulling away sharply, but none the less reluctantly from Belle's oh so willing lips. I met her eyes momentarily, just long enough to see the hurt, humiliation and utter betrayal she felt flash across them.

I didn't know what to do. Saying something, anything, that might have been an option. If my mind hadn't of gone blank right about now. Sorry might have been an even better place to start, followed by you're the most amazing, stunning, witting, fantastic, beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes upon and I don't want to stuff this up by being a real dick head like I usually am…

But come on, I had my reputation to consider.

I couldn't be falling head over heels for a girl I'd met only hours beforehand. I didn't fall at all, let alone this hard, this fast. I was the tough, no strings, say I'll call but never get around to it guy. The bad boy of the many fantasies these girls had, but I was never part of their realities.

So instead of telling _one_ truth to a crushed cynic, I told another, to an oddball group shoved together in the weirdest circumstances, on a random day.

"We've got like, five minutes to get to the other side of the school." I said, exhausted by the enormity of everything that had already occurred today.

"Why?" Matilda asked in her own naïve, innocent, puzzled manner.

"The Hyde monster returns" I said, pulling Belle to her feet without even thinking.

She immediately shrank back from my touch, withdrawing into herself as she avoided the worried looks Matilda and Cassie were sending her.

How those girls had become such close friends, I would never really, truly understand. But it was there, and it was happening right infront of my eyes. Matilda tugged on Belle's hand and pulled her towards the staircase with her and Cassie, leaving Henry, Lucas and I to trail quickly behind them.

"We can cut him off, I know a short cut." I said quickly as we half ran down the stairs together.

"Of course you do" Henry muttered sarcastically to himself, before back tracking and throwing me a sympathetic look. He knew that the three girls would be lost in their own world for the afternoon, so any chance any of us had of spending time with them, or say, apologising, was shot to hell. I should be grateful he was being so gracious about it, because the whole reason they were alone was because of me and my stupid actions.

We reached the hallway and everyone turned to go in the direction we'd come.

"No" I said loudly "This way is quicker"

"And why should we trust you?" Belle spat venomously at me, glaring so hard that I thought actual daggers would pierce my skin at any moment.

"Because I've spent the last five years in these hallways avoiding teacher in any way possible" I spat back at her. Like I was going to back down from this fight.

"You think you're the only one who ever wagged class? You think I don't know the secrets of this school?" Belle screamed at me, apparently unwilling to back down as well.

"You really think you're the King Shit, don't you? The worst member of the schools populous, the ultimate bad boy?" She spoke, coming closer to me. "Well guess what?" She said as she pushed against my chest "We're all going through the same kind of hell Eric Dalby, and some of us are dealing with it the same way you are. I've wagged as many classes as you have; I've dogged as many exams as you have too. I've hidden from as many teachers as you have in these very hallways. I'm exactly like you, Eric Dalby." She finished quietly, as the thumping on my chest ceased, and I looked down into her vulnerable eyes. "And maybe that's the problem."

Suddenly Cassie and Matilda had tugged her in the opposite direction, the way I had pointed out, and I was left standing alone, confused and broken.

"Tough break." Henry said from his position a few feet away from me, "You've got a whole lot of making up to do there." He continued before I stopped him abruptly.

"Who says I want to do any making up?" I said snidely, glaring at Henry once more.

He scoffed at me in reply, saying "Only every longing, pining look you've thrown at her all day when you thought no one else was looking…"

"Look guys…" Lucas interrupted "This bonding moment is great and all but well, I really don't want another Saturday detention."

"The nerds right" I stated simply, ignoring the look Lucas was giving me "We've gotta get back so Hyde doesn't give us all a month of detentions" I said, sprinting to catch up with the girls.

Like I needed another month of reminders about how weird, wonderful and screwed up today had been.

-

-

-

It had all been too much. The game, that was. It had begun as a game, and then became so much more. For some, more so than others.

"_Tell anyone, and I will get you"_ I heard her voice say, over and over. _"You do not want to mess with me."_

She'd looked at me, and for the first time I'd seen the truth behind the ice-queen. The small terrified girl that was too afraid to love, to feel. Too afraid to live. She had created her world around her, molded her clones like pawns in a chess game. She was queen and would stop at nothing to keep her perfect, immaculate, unfeeling world just the way it was.

And I was a threat to that world. Not just because I challenge her status and beliefs, but, I had thought for a moment there, because I saw within her icy blue eyes that I made her feel.

And as confusing as it sounds, I actually understood her reaction. However just because I understood it, it didn't make it hurt any less.

I thought, even if come Monday she completely ignores me, that today, with everything that already happened, maybe things would have turned out a little different. Maybe there might have even been room for some honesty from her. Apparently even that had been asking for too much.

Now here we all are, running once more, united once more, to face our biggest advisory one final time. We'd come together as a group, only to be torn apart by a stupid, silly game.

That's all it was I had to keep reminding myself. It was just a game and we were all playing for ourselves. It didn't matter that Matilda had clung to me when I'd kissed her, or how soft her lips felt against mine, how perfect that kiss had been. It didn't matter how well we actually fit together, we were simply playing the game. One that we'd been playing long before _Truth or Dare. _

We'd all been pretending all day, about ourselves, about one another, about just about everything. Because high school was about pretending, about fitting in instead of standing out. About making friends because otherwise you're alone against the world and that just about sucks the most.

We reached another standstill, and I was so angry, so frustrated, at myself and the crazy world of highschool, that I vented by kicking the locker closest too me. Only it didn't hurt the locker, it hurt me, and it also made everyone turn to look at me, which was just about the last thing I wanted.

"Lucas" Henry said "This is no time for a tantrum."

I opened my mouth, ready with an angry, witty retort, but someone else got in there before me.

"Henry, the last thing we need right now is smart ass comments like that from you." She finished exasperated.

Henry's mouth gapped open and shut, as if he was unsure of what had actually happened right before his eyes.

"Okay" Dalby said, taking charge once more "If we got this way, we should bypass Hyde. He always take the same route coming back from lunch on school days."

"What if he doesn't go that way today?" Matilda asked, obviously concerned about receiving another month of detentions.

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it." I relied, urging everyone to just follow Dalby's lead.

Matilda shot me an odd look before Cassie grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly away down the hallways.

I wasn't exactly what that look meant, but I knew deep down it had changed everything, and I sure as hell wasn't going to spend another month of Saturday's being reminded of what could have been, I decided as I sprinted along with Dalby and Henry.

We were going to beat that son of a $&# back to the library, even if it killed us.

-

-

-

Everything was so messed up, and now we were on the run, listening to Dalby of all people while trying to beat Hyde back to the library.

Of course, this was all happening while Belle and Dalby played their own game of who can pretend that they don't care about one another for the longest time, while Matilda and Lucas continued to have these glances that were so obvious to everyone except one another.

But at least that was some kind of interaction. Cassie hadn't even spared a single look for me while we were running these hallways, not one. And I was kind of devastated.

I'd never realised how therapeutic running really was until there was something really bugging me today. It has happened a couple of times, but today, today something that really mattered was lodging itself into my mind, bugging me until I'd thought it through over and over. And it wasn't just the kiss with Cassie.

That, in itself, had been a perfect moment in time. One of those slow motion things, that seem to last forever. And the second her lips left mine, I felt like I'd lost something I'd only just found. But it was more than that, bigger than that.

Today had been a one of a kind experience with both highs and lows, and, as I glanced at my clock, which read 2:27, I realised we still had over two hours left. Plenty of time to make things right again, I thought, before realising I wasn't exactly sure what was right any more.

So what if Dalby, Lucas and I had banded together to figure out what happened with the girls? That plan had backfired, and while, in the end, it had still worked in our favour, it didn't mean I'd walk up to them in the hallway and do that handshake thing guys so often did.

And the girls? Well, I was fairly sure Matilda wouldn't be running up to Cassie or Belle and hugging and kissing their cheeks as she so often did with her friends at school.

But Cassie? She was one of the most real people I knew; though I know my friendship doesn't make leaps and bounds on the reality side of things. And Belle, Dalby and Lucas? They were all very real too. They had their pride, and their faults, and their feelings. They showed their pain, hid their scars, lived every day, just like Matilda and I had done.

Did I really want to loose everything I'd fought so hard to gain today? Dalby's respect, Belle and Lucas' approving nature or Cassie's forgiveness? Did I… Crap.

Standing directly ahead, drinking from a bubbler, was Hyde. I hit Dalby silently and pointed towards him, just as everyone looked up and saw him too. We ran like the wind back in the direction we'd come, turning corner after corner, trying to escape Hyde who always managed to be there at the end of a hallway, strolling or dancing.

As we came to another end, I realised it was hopeless.

"This is crap" I exclaimed, slumping back against a locker, ready to admit defeat.

"I think we need to take this outside." Belle said finally.

"What on earth are you on about Belle?" Matilda asked confused from beside her.

"We're going around in circles" Belle started "Seeing Hyde at the end of hallways, backtracking, going back to where we started. We can go outside and race around and come up into the library from the outside entry." She finished, satisfied with her plan.

"Sounds good to me." I replied, knowing that there was no way I wanted to be stuck in Saturday detention again.

"Only one problem." Dalby said quietly from the side "We'll have to go down C blocks main hallway, and run the chance of meeting Hyde there."

Belle met his eyes venomously. "Let's do it." She said, full of confidence.

Sometimes, you just had to admire that girl and her gusto.

-

-

-

This is going to be a disaster. It was like a mantra running through my head. We'd been standing there discussing everything for a couple of minutes, and in those minutes Hyde could have already reached the library and found us missing.

"We're going to need a miracle for this to work." I muttered aloud, as Dalby and Henry crept around the corner to see if the coast was clear.

"Such little faith Holden?" Matilda said from behind me, and I turned to find her smirking at me.

"Well, yes." I replied bluntly, walking closer to her.

"Why would that be?" She asked, biting her lip and looking innocently up at me through her big eyes.

God she knew how to play a guy with every thing she had didn't she?

"Because" I said, lowering my lips to her ear and whispering into it "We've got Belle and Dalby leading the rescue mission, and they can't stand the sight of one another. Or they can, but they are playing some stupid game to avoid it. Kind of like you." I added, before stepping away just as Henry and Dalby returned.

Matilda looked curiously up at me as Dalby said "Right, we've got one shot. You see Hyde, you move in between the lockers as soon as you can. Got that?"

"Yes sir." Belle mock saluted him before rolling her eyes and strolling around the corner and down the hallway.

"So much for the stealth approach" Dalby muttered under his breath before following Belle. Cassie and Henry followed suit, which left Matilda and I standing awkwardly alone.

"Maybe we should…" I motioned as Matilda said "Oh right, yeah I think we should."

She walked a little ahead of me, turning around once and smiling strangely at me before looking ahead again.

Henry and Dalby were stalking down the hallway, their eyes darting between all entries in case Hyde's shadow appeared. Belle and Cassie were wandering down the hallway, lost in their own worlds, hardly caring about Hyde, knowing the boys would be there to save the day.

And Matilda, well, she was simply walking, and in doing so, had me completely entranced by every move she made.

I was beginning to be lost in the rhythmic stepping of her footsteps when suddenly Dalby scrambled to get Belle into a corner, and Henry had grabbed Cassie's hand and pulled her into a space between the lockers.

I didn't even stop to think about the consequences, within seconds I'd pulled Matilda into a tiny space to protect us from the looming threat of Hyde.

Only, I didn't realised our bodies would be melded together because of the lack of space. Or that her body would feel so damn good against mine. That bits would be touching in all the right (or wrong) places causing these sensations to shoot up and down my body.

And what I didn't really bank on was when I looked into her eyes, I saw the kind of raw want and desire that might have been reflected in mine. But even more than that, there was a need for affection, a need for love and for emotion.

My hand reached up to cup her chin and Matilda closed her eyes, rolling her head to the side and giving in to the feelings. Pushing her up against the locker, I leant down, preparing to kiss her, and her eyes remained closed, anticipating anything that was about to happen. My lips inched closer and closer to her own, I could feel her body tighten under mine as she pulled me closer, her hot breath was on my lips then…

"Lucas" Dalby whispered "You're right to come out now."

My head fell onto her shoulder as I groaned in pure annoyance. I felt, or knew she smiled as she pushed me back off her and created whatever space there could be between our bodies.

"We'll finish this later." She said quietly, looking away.

"Will we though?" I asked, as she shrugged and walked quickly out to join the others.

Damn females, always taking control of you.

-

-

-

Matilda resurfaced first, as Lucas followed after her, a slightly harassed look on his face, as if we'd interrupted something of extreme importance. Matilda bounded along to where Cassie was, her smile a lot broader than Lucas' grim look.

Apparently something was going on there, I mused as we began to walk quickly towards the end of the corridor, unsure of whether Hyde was out of our way or not.

Once we reached the end, Henry and I peaked around the corners, checking the coast was clear. When I heard Henry let out a sigh of relief, I knew that Hyde had disappeared, and we had a matter of minutes before he reached the library.

I was about to open my mouth to tell everyone this, but Belle beat me to it. Kind of.

"Why did you shove me and pull me like that?" She yelled harshly, hitting my chest in anger. "I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself."

"I know that." I replied exasperated with her, "But Hyde was coming and it was instinct to pull you to the side."

"Instinct?" She scoffed at me "Yeah right, you just had to go and play the hero didn't you?"

"Play the hero?" I asked, genuinely confused "What the hell are you talking about? I was saving my own butt, not yours, not any one else's. If anyone had got caught, we'd all have been in here again, and like I actually wanted to spend another Saturday in here…"

"With us." She finished quietly, turning away from me.

"With Hyde." I corrected her, as I walked over to her and placed my hands on her shoulders, spinning her to face me.

She looked up at me through her deep brown eyes, shimmering with tears that were threatening to spill. How we had wound up like this, I would never fully understand. But then again, a lot of the things that had happened today didn't exactly have an explanation, did they?

"Why would you save us, if spending a day with us wasn't that unbearable?" She asked, pleading with her eyes. I knew when she used the word us; it was code for me. All she was asking for was the truth, and how could I say no to her?

"Because spending another day with you, I don't want it to be like there, where Hyde lays into my every move, where he puts me down all the time. Belittles me infront of everyone." I said, pulling her closer to me and wrapping my arms around her.

"I'd want it to be just you and me." I finished gently, leaning down and kissing her softly on the lips, my arms tightening around her waist.

She pulled back eventually and smiled up at me, and through those dark eyes I could see forgiveness and acceptance and something a little like love. And for the first time in my life, my heart kinda swelled at the thought of having a girl like that in my life.

"This has been most touching." Henry said from behind us, snapping us out of our blissful state.

I turned around to find he and Lucas smirking at us, while Matilda and Cassie were looking happily at us, knowing that whatever had just happened, Belle would no longer be in the angry state she'd been since we'd left the roof top. I'd just been forgiven for all my sins.

"Yeah, touching, right." Lucas added "But we've gotta go. You know, the whole 'beating Hyde back to the library to avoid detention again' plan?" He asked, as I shook my head, laughing at his anxiousness.

"So let's get on with it," Belle said, rolling her eyes and sprinting towards the exit.

Some things never change, I thought as I followed her quickly.

-

-

-

Too weird for words was just about the best way to describe the day we'd had. Dalby going all softy like, and making out with Belle Taylor infront of us was just the icing on the cake. But now we were down to the serious business of beating Hyde at his own game of cat and mouse, that he didn't exactly realise we were playing.

The bright sunlight blinded me momentarily as we escaped to the outside, I breathed in the fresh air, even though I'd had an hour up on the roof, the last ten minutes had made me miss the outside even more.

We were running so fast by this stage that when Dalby stopped, we all collided with one another, and ended up on the ground.

"Shit" Dalby swore aloud, kicking the brick wall next to him.

"And the reason for the sudden outburst oh sweet one?" Lucas asked, mocking him ever so slightly.

"Hyde" He replied angrily, as Lucas' jaw dropped in fear.

"What are we doing to do?" He asked, expecting Dalby to have all the answers.

"Like I know? Do I have to be the one who plans everything here?" He replied bitterly, obviously annoyed that no matter what we did, Hyde was still going to beat us back to the library.

"No, you don't" I said as I walked over and looked around the corner, where Hyde was clearly visible. "This ones all me. As soon as Hyde goes, you guys get yourselves back to that library, you hear?" I said as I ran out into the courtyard, hollering and screaming, attracting Hyde's attention immediately.

"Hey… HEY" He yelled out as I passed by him quickly "HENRY HUNTER GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

But it was too late, I was long gone, and Hyde was left to chase me down the hallways. Now we really were playing cat and mouse.

I'd been running for about two minutes when I slowed down to check behind me. Hyde was no where in sight so I leant against one of the lockers taking a few seconds to catch my breath. When I finally looked up, I jumped back against the lockers in shock.

Hyde was standing above me, a smile that could only be described as pure evil gracing his mad face. He leant down towards me and said spitefully "Well Mr. Hunter, you thought you could out run me, but it seems I'm fitter than you presumed me to be."

And I couldn't help it. The idea of Hyde being anything but a lazy slob was too much to take. I cracked up laughing, which brought Hyde's hand down as he yanked on my collar to force me to stand up.

"Do you find something amusing Mr. Hunter?" He said, getting right into my face.

"No sir." I managed to get out before laughing once more.

"We'll see how funny you think I am next week in detention. And for five weeks after that. How does that sound?" He spat towards me.

I shrugged my shoulders as he shoved me towards the library. "Now I know you couldn't be alone in this little escapade, so why don't you give up your companions and we can discuss your detention sentence?"

"I was in it alone sir." I replied, staying a pace behind him, not matching his eyes when he turned to stare at me.

We'd reached the library door by now, and I knew I'd enter to find everyone sitting in the seats we'd been in when Hyde walked out, showing no signs of the potentially life altering events that had occurred.

"Keep your secrets then." Hyde said as he pushed open the door "But you're mine for the next six weeks Mr. Hunter. Maybe during those days you can think about how you protected them when you're all alone in detention." He snarled before slamming the door shut behind him.

I looked up and grinned at everyone else, who began laughing with me.

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AN: Thanks to Katya for proofing :) That was more like the Breakfast Club, but how could I not have a chasing down the hallway scene? Thanks to all who reviewed, I hope you liked it.


	9. Chapter 9: Truths

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Enjoy! 

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Nine: Truths_

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Henry had come back into the room as Hyde finished threatening him. I was just so relieved to see him that I let out a nervous breath I hadn't even realised I'd been holding. As soon as Hyde slammed the door shut behind him Henry had turned around with this huge grin on his face, and we'd all just started laughing.

Henry smiled at me, and his smile reached his eyes and his soul, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen him smile like that. He walked towards me and pulled me up towards him and said, "I don't think he's coming back for a while, feel like going out back again?"

I nodded numbly at him, realising that the electric shock that went through my body was not instinctual, but more. Something else, something that meant I was falling.

And somehow, after the already strange events of the day, the six of us had ended up sitting towards the back of the library, half of us lounging around on the floor, the others sitting on the tables around us.

There were quiet mummers coming from Dalby and Belle who were sitting on the ground next to one another, blissfully unaware of life that was passing them by. Matilda was staring out the window, avoiding any gazes Lucas was sending her way, in the hopes that whatever had begun between them would be explained by the end of the day.

And Henry? Well, he was looking at me like he had been all morning. Gazing as if I was the only soul alive. Searching for an explanation. Searching for feelings or emotions… something that told him my feelings were the same as his.

I looked away from his eyes and pulled out my sketchbook as an overwhelming urge to finish the picture overcame me. I looked at the outlines I had drawn, of six figures that shared no common ground. Six figures who were alone against the evils of the world.

How much we had changed since then.

"Cassie" Matilda said, bringing me out of my thoughts

"Hmm," I replied, looking towards her.

"Cassie, I'm sorry about everything." She said finally, a worried look crossing her face. "I just wanted to fit in, at boarding school… and you, you were my best friend, and it was so hard without you there." She rambled on and on, talking about everything that had happened.

I stood up and walked across the window to Matilda and pulled her into a tight hug.

"It's okay Maddie." I said, using the age-old nickname I'd given her when we were seven years old. "It's all okay Maddie, it's in the past and we can't change that. But we can change the future, right?"

She looked out the window again, before sighing softly and replying "I don't know if I can change Cass. I don't know what to do."

I put the picture I'd begun to draw back into my book and shut it quickly.

"Come on" I said, taking her hand and pulling her up "We'll go figure it out."

I looked towards Lucas and Henry who caught my drift and began to follow Maddie and I.

This was it, I thought to myself as we left Dalby and Belle alone. This was that moment that would determine how everything worked out. We were all confused, alone, and tired of pretending. This was the moment that would allow me to fill in the faces of the lone figures in the drawing.

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"Tell me a secret. Something no one else knows. Then maybe, I'll consider trusting you." Dalby said, looking me straight in the eyes.

How had it suddenly just become he and I alone in a room together? Where had everyone else gone? Everyone else just happened to have something more important to do? In Saturday detention?

Looking back into the blue eyes that belonged to Dalby, and he alone, I swallowed the nervous lump that had somehow formed in my throat. Why was being alone with Dalby making me feel this way?

Gee, maybe it's because of the way he kissed you, or the way he held you, or the way he's been looking at you since nine this morning.

Maybe it's just him in general.

"Look Taylor. You tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine. This whole 'truth' thing was your idea, remember?"

Yeah and what a great idea it was turning out to be, I thought sarcastically to myself.

I dug deep. If he wanted honest, he would get it.

"You have to swear on your life that no mocking will occur, or that this will never be mentioned again. Otherwise, I'll kill you." I finished, shoving my hand out, waiting for him to shake it, agreeing to the terms.

He looked at it warily, before smirking and grabbing my hand, shaking it vigorously.

"You've got yourself a deal Taylor. Now spill."

Taking in a deep breath, I looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. This was going to be embarrassing enough, without seeing his initial reaction.

"I cry every time I watch the new Peter Pan movie." I said quietly.

Counting down the seconds in my head, it took exactly three before the dickhead burst into fits of laughter.

"When Wendy kisses Peter, then he leaves her. I just can't help it. I always wanted to meet Peter Pan and fly off to Neverland, and live forever as a kid. Life was so much easier then." I cried out, before turning away from him and sulking.

I didn't take being laughed at well. Not at all.

"Aww I'm sorry Belle." Dalby managed to get out in between laughs, "But I thought you were going to tell me something serious, because you are always serious. Sitting up the back with that same 'I'm better than everyone else' look on your face, analyzing us for our fatal flaws. Then you come out with 'I cry in Peter Pan.' Christ, how could I not laugh?" Dalby said, composing himself for a moment before bursting into laughs again.

"Tell me your secret then." I said, wanting desperately for him to stop focusing on me. "Let's see if yours is deep and meaningful like you expected mine to be, or shallow and stupid, like I'm expecting it to be." I finished rather harshly, challenging him to suck it up and tell me something real.

He looked at me for a long time after that. I felt like he was trying to look into my soul. It lasted so long, I was about to launch into a spiel about beginning to feel violated when he jumped off the table he'd moved onto and sat down next to me on the floor. He looked down towards me, and smiled a weird smile before he whispered in my ear, "I own all the _Backstreet Boys_ CDs."

Instead of laughing aloud like he had, I smirked right at him. "I bet there's a _Hanson_ CD in there too in that case."

His groaning was all the indication I needed to know that I was correct.

Dalby had once upon a time been a boy band junkie.

Who'd have thunk it?

"Wanting to explore the wide variety of boy bands the pop genre has to offer during your youth is nothing to be ashamed of Eric…" I began in a mocking tone.

Dalby groaned more before shoving me over as we both began to laugh, mainly because of the stupid truths we'd told one another, afraid to share any real truths.

Well, that was my reason, anyhow.

"So, you considering trusting me yet, or do I have to break into somewhere and steal something before I can pass the test?" I mocked more.

"Not yet at least. You've passed the personality test. Breaking and entering comes after the 'how much alcohol can you stand' test. God, don't you know anything about being a bogan criminal?" Dalby deadpanned.

I laughed as he gently cupped my face and pulled me towards him. His lips met my own again, and there was so much heat, so much fire, that I forgot for the moment that we were in Saturday detention. Instead, I was lost in loves embrace.

And it actually didn't make me want to gag.

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"Aww ain't love grand?" I said mocking from my position leaning against the bookshelf as I watched Belle quickly pull away from Dalby and try to tidy herself.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to stare?" Dalby growled at me, obviously annoyed to the max that I'd interrupted his little make out session. Like I cared, if I wasn't getting any, no one was getting any.

"We were bored sall." I said as I pulled out a chair and sat down into it, pulling my best puppy dog face.

"Is it over?" Maddie said from her position behind the bookshelves.

"You mean you all saw that?" Belle asked shocked, her face paling in fear.

"Yes" Maddie said, uncovering her eyes as she, Lucas and Cassie appeared.

"Oh my god" Belle groaned, her face hidden under her hands, trying to hide the embarrassment she felt.

"Insulted much?" I threw at Dalby, who growled at me in an almost joking way. It was all fun and games here, all the hostilities of the morning had disappeared now.

"We were really bored." Maddie explained as she sat down on the floor Indian style "And we thought we could come and chat with you guys."

"Obviously we didn't know about your, extracurricular activities" Lucas said "Otherwise we'd never have interrupted in such a rude manner."

"Oh I'm sure Henry would have" Dalby snarked at me "Isn't getting any of his own so he has to stop those who are." His eyes met mine, and I knew he was half-joking, half-serious, but it didn't phase me like it would have that morning.

"Why don't we ask Belle about that?" I replied, laughing a little as I sat down, leaning towards the group.

"Huh?" She replied, momentarily confused before realisation crossed her face.

"Don't even think about going there Henry Hunter, I know your secrets." She threatened me as she moved slightly away from Dalby.

"Well now I'm damn curious." Dalby said, smirking towards Belle then me. "Please feel free to share Henry"

"Oh I don't know, maybe Belle should do the sharing in this case." I replied happily as Belle's face grew red with embarrassment.

"I hate you Henry Hunter." She said, glaring at me before sucking in a deep breath, and running her words together.

"Atapartyinyear9HenryandIkindahookedup." She said quickly, looking away from the stares everyone was giving her.

The silence was only broken when Dalby decided to laugh at the stupidity of the whole situation.

"Hey" Belle said as she hit him in the chest, obviously insulted that Dalby thought this was so utterly hilarious.

"You never told me that Henry" Maddie said loudly from her position on the floor as she looked between Belle and I, trying to see if there was some kind of hidden connection she'd missed.

I can tell you, there was no such thing.

"It was a one off." I shrugged "She and I never really discussed it after that."

"Because you were too pigheaded to bother." Belle muttered.

"Excuse me? Were you not the one who stayed at least one hundred meters away from me whenever I came near?" I asked, confused by what she'd said.

"Only because I didn't want to get my heart even more broken."

"What now?" Maddie asked from beside Belle. A confession like that doesn't come around every day.

She cleared her throat, obviously embarrassed by what she'd just revealed to the group.

"I may have, at one stage, during my angsty teenage years… had a slight crush on Henry." Belle said rather quietly, refusing to look anyone in the eyes "And if I'd have spoken to him, he'd have rejected me… so I left things how they were. And he assumed we'd both simply had a little too much fun at a party." She explained, as she finally looked up and met my eyes.

How do you tell someone they are wrong, when you know that up until a couple of hours ago, they would've been completely right?

I looked at her, and tried to form the right kind of words in my head. Tried to formulate the right kind of sentence that would make it all go away. But as I was going through this, inner turmoil, she smiled at me. And it was in that smile that I saw the understanding she had. She knew I was sorry for being an ass, and that today, today had helped me to change. And she knew we were alright.

And I was so grateful for that smile.

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"Wow" I said, under my breath, watching the simple exchange between Belle and Henry which meant so much more to both of them.

Henry would never have joked around with Dalby like that at the beginning of the day. And Dalby, he wouldn't have given Henry, or the rest of us, the time of day. Lucas would have still been lost in his own little corner, probably doing extra homework he'd asked the teachers for. And Belle and Cassie would have been in teen angst land, hating the cruel world for their misfortunes.

At the beginning of the day we'd been six strangers, alone against the world. And somewhere along the line, that had changed. For them. Had it changed for me?

Would I be able to greet them in the hallway? I thought as I looked towards Belle and Cassie, who were now smiling at one another, secrets being exchanged with every smile that passed. If Dalby decided to go all 'big brother' on me, and pick me up and run down the corridor with me over his shoulder, would I simply play it down as a practical joke made by the schools sick and twisted bad boy who had it in for me?

I looked at Lucas, who was studying me for what seemed like the thousandth time today. If he came up behind me at my locker, and wrapped his strong arms around me, and pulled me into his warm, loving embrace, would I shriek in horror and run away, feigning innocence and pity on the poor loser who was so obviously deluded.

A wry smile formed on my face as I realised come Monday, I had no idea how to handle any situation placed infront of me.

"I've been pretending to be someone I'm not for the last five years." I said softly, as Belle and Cassie stopped laughing and looked towards me, wondering what I'd say next. "And while you might be able to come to school and act like today was the most life altering thing, and that you've changed your ways, and accepted each other into your lives… I don't know if I'll be able to do that."

There was silence, and I guessed this meant everyone was either too shocked, or too pissed off to speak. So I continued, because these things needed to be said.

"It's hard enough, facing the people who pretend to be my friends day in and out. We're like, queen bitches, there is no one in this school one of us hasn't bitched at, or about, us included. But it's who I became. It's what I've wanted to live like. And just turning up on Monday and saying 'I've got real friends now, see you later.'… I don't know if I'm strong enough to do that. It's hard for me, you know? It's always been hard to be in my position."

I looked up and tried to meet the eyes of any of them, trying to see if they understood where I was coming from, what I was trying to say. That I didn't want them to get hurt in the process of me being me, I didn't want to drag them down with me. I didn't want to ruin them like I'd ruined myself.

Finally, Lucas' eyes met my own. But instead of acceptance, there was anger and hurt. And more fury than I'd ever seen.

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Something inside me finally snapped. There was so much pent up anger and frustration that I'd held back all day.

Matilda just didn't know when to stop. Or to start. I'd listened to her complain all day about being here. Listened to her go on and on about her life. We all had. Someone needed to tell her what the reality was. I thought we'd gotten through to her… that I might have gotten through to her. But what she said just now, well, that made me snap.

"The world does not revolve around you." I shouted, halting her self pity party. "You've got this great thing in high school, putting down anyone you don't accept. Being all that, being above everything and everyone else in this _entire_ school. But for people like you, this doesn't happen after school. You're only important when you're in school. Not for the rest of your life. Don't you get that, or are you too self absorbed to understand?" I finished, as Matilda's face became red with rage, while everyone else sitting in the circle turned to me, stunned that I'd actually had the guts to say something like that to her.

She looked at me, long and hard. Her eyes forming icy slits, which could only mean that I'd managed to royally piss off her highness.

Then all hell broke lose.

"You think I don't know that Lucas?" Matilda screamed into my face, her eyes beginning to well with tears.

"You think I don't know that after high school you'll be going off to better things, while I'll end up working as a checkout chick because I partied too much and didn't focus on studies? At least when I was at boarding school, I had a chance to end up as a trophy wife. But here? In hell? I'm know I'm going to be a nothing after school." She finished quietly, her eyes becoming wide as she realised the enormity of her statement.

"I know that people like you, or Belle, or Cassie have a hope of getting out of here. You have talent in something other than shopping and doing hair and make-up and gossiping. Even Henry has a chance of a football scholarship to one of the Universities. However, I know I'm in the league of people like Dalby when it comes to stuff like…"she trailed off, as we all sat, stunned by the bitter truth she had spoken

Everyone except Dalby that was. He had shot a sharp glare towards Matilda after she dared to place them into the same category.

"It doesn't have to be like that." Belle said suddenly, softly.

"Yes, because in the short amount of time I have left in school, I can suddenly become a brain like Lucas over there." She spat at Belle venomously. "And then everything would just be peachy keen wouldn't it? I'd be able to actually have some kind of future. Here I was thinking you had a clear grasp on life, when you're just as deluded as the rest of us." Maddie said, shooting one final glare at everyone before walking away from the group, and sitting on one of the tables, turning her body away so she wouldn't have to be involved any more.

"Well at least I'm open to ideas to getting out of here, and not wallowing in self pity, while beating down on anyone else who they think is below them." Belle barked back, before storming off into another direction, just as Dalby stood up angrily and began walking at a fast pace towards the back of the Library.

Apparently what Matilda had said about him not having a future had cut him fairly deep.

I guess everyone had his or her own little secrets. Too bad they were all unraveling around us today.

Sighing, I put my head down on the desk, wondering how I'd managed to ruin whatever bonding had just been occurring within the group. But it hadn't been just me. We all had our own issues. They were just hidden a lot deeper than Matilda's was.

Or maybe she was the one who actually understood reality.

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Damn Matilda Hunter. Damn everyone, damn them to hell.

I had a future. Despite what Matilda thought about me being that highschool dropkick that's the loser in all of the Hollywood movies, I had passions and dreams and a future all planned out infront of me.

She just hadn't taken the time to ask me about it. Neither had they. They'd all just assumed about my life. I was so sick and tired of people doing that to me, I was so angry, at myself, for actually thinking that things in school could change. That they could change.

That I could change.

I turned around and hit the brick wall behind me, just as Belle rounded the corner, having gone looking for me soon after I'd walked off.

"Annoyed much?" She said as I sank down against the brick wall, coming to a stop when I hit the hard ground.

I looked up to see her concerned eyes lock with mine as she crouched down next to me and took my hands in hers.

"Maddie was wrong." She said firmly, as she threaded her fingers through my own. "You've got a past and a future Eric Dalby, and you're not some highschool dropout. You're funny and witty and at some stages throughout today I've thought you're too intelligent for your own good." She continued as she inched closer to the ground, and to me.

"And you can be sweet and caring when you want to be too." She finished, nudging me with her knee and blushing, looking away from my intense gaze.

I opened my mouth to give her some kind of reply, when a movement caught my eye. I groaned before pulling Belle back to her feet and dragged her quickly back to the group.

I was met with a mixed reaction, but didn't dwell on it for too long.

"Hyde's coming." I said, and we all scrambled back to our seats, making it just in time to see Hyde slam the doors open and stomp into the room.

You could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears.

"I know you left this room today."

No room for bullshit with him.

"And I know Mr. Hunter is covering for one, or possibly more than one of you lot." Hyde continued. "But it really doesn't matter. Because one way or another you'll end up back here." He spat at us.

And none of us looked at him.

"Want to know why?"

Something told me this wasn't going to be exactly rhetorical.

"Because you are kind of people who have to future. You are the kind of children who waste their lives in detention, and go on to do nothing in life. Because you're tainted. No one wants to touch you. And you'll fade into history, be forgotten, because you are no bodies." He said softly, cruelly, looking each of us in the eye.

"And your lives, they'll be worthless, because of the mistakes you made as children. You'll be nothing." He finished almost calmly as he walked out and slammed the door behind him.

"#& YOU" I screamed out as the door slammed shut, punching the desk then kicking my chair. Why did I let him get to me, when everyone else was so damn unaffected by him?

"I'm sorry," Maddie said quietly from her position between Cassie and Belle.

I looked up and laughed bitterly "What on earth for? You were telling the truth before. The honest truth. I have no future."

"No." She cried, "Hyde is an idiot. He's bitter and twisted and he's slowly dying from that. But we've got all this time to have a life and plan a future. We've still got time. Something that he doesn't have." She finished firmly, looking around at each and every one of us.

We six who had started out as strangers. We six who were finishing as friends.

"Thanks Matilda Hunter." I said, as I looked up and matched the smile she was giving me.

"You're welcome Eric Dalby. Now I'm borrowing your girlfriend so we can have some quality girl time." She said, grabbing Belle's hand and leading she and Cassie to a corner.

It struck me moments later that neither Belle nor I had corrected her.

In fact, I kind of liked the sound of it.

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AN: And now we all go 'Awww'. A huge hug to katya (aka. Kate) for proofing this. You rock girl! I hope you guys are liking it. Only a couple more chapters to go though. Its almost that time of the day, but what will happen once Detention is over? Thanks for reviewing :D


	10. Chapter 10: Endings?

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, at all. Enjoy.

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**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Ten: Endings?_

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We'd all ended up back together. Sitting on chairs or on the floor, or, in Maddie's case, cross-legged on a table. Initially there had been an overwhelming awkward silence that had enveloped us after Hyde's last speech, and all of us, I had guessed, were too afraid to speak. Afraid that, no matter what they said, someone would manage to shatter.

We were all vulnerable, I thought to myself as I stared out over the group. I hadn't believed it of myself at nine this morning. What I had believed was that I was headed for a better life. That with good grades and good behaviour I would end up having a good life. That I deserved to have a great life, because I'd behaved as a teenager.

But what I'd learnt, what they, I thought, looking at each of them individually, had taught me was that nothing in life is certain, nor is having good grades or good behaviour a guarantee to perfection. What they had taught me is that we're all human, and to be human is to have flaws, to be wrong, to be beaten.

Once upon a time, Maddie and Cassie had been best friends. Once upon a time, Dalby had been willing to try, to learn, to succeed. Once upon a time, Belle had crushed on Henry. Once upon a time, Henry had crushed Belle. Once upon a time, I wanted to be accepted by them. By each and every one of them. I just wanted to fit in.

But Hyde had been wrong. Hyde was an old man, a vindictive old man who was jealous of the lives we were still to lead. He was wasted beyond his years. Stuck in a job he no longer liked, stuck with children he no longer respected, or wished to respect on any level. I imagined that Hyde, during his prime, would have been bright eyed as he entered the educational system, with the hopes of a generation on his shoulders.

Maddie had taught us that.

He would have wanted to made a difference. However, as the years progressed, his eyes would have lost that spark, his heart, lost that dream. Until he is left now, but a shell of a man, trapped in a job, which he no longer loves.

And us kids? We've managed to figure out life without him leading the way into the light. We'd grown wise beyond our years because of things that have happened in our lives, and today, we realised for the first time that maybe we're not that different. Maybe the stereotypes are in place for some reason, but that doesn't mean there is any truth to them.

We're all the same, scared kids deep down. Afraid of the past, scared of the present, and terrified of the future, and it's uncertainties. It's something that bonds us together. Something that will bond generations to come together. That fear we all smell, all taste, at least once during our childhood. It proves that we are all mortal.

Looking around this room, with its occupants, I realised how much we'd all changed since nine this morning. And I realised how much I didn't want it to go back to the way it was.

Cassie, Belle and Maddie were all laughing now, at something Maddie had said, while Ric and Henry looked slightly awkward together as they watched the girls bond so easily. Sometimes males were a lot stronger than females.

And I became determined there and then to make sure this didn't end here.

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I was laughing so hard; my stomach was beginning to hurt. But that was a good thing, after everything that Hyde had said, we needed to laugh. There was something great about being with Belle and Cassie. Although neither of them was exactly conventional, or what my so-called 'friends' would call cool, they were real, and honest, and brutal.

And that was like a breath of fresh air in my life. There was no backstabbing, no gossiping, no 'holier than thou' attitude to deal with. We all had our own issues; we all had a past full of things we weren't too proud of. We were just the same. It had only taken me all day to realise that. Under the fake face's we put on each morning, under the charade we kept up day in and day out, we were all the same, all yearning to find those people who you just click with. Who know you'll just be able to be yourself with. Who you know will accept you for you, with all your quirks and oddities.

And it had only taken me a day to realise that despite our vastly different exteriors, I'd found them.

"I can't believe you actually did that at boarding school Maddie. And what's more," Belle said in between laughs, "I can't believe they didn't catch you. How blonde must they have been?" She asked, laughing.

"Hey, I'm blonde." I joked to her as I laughed along.

"Who would've thought Little Miss Teen Queen Hunter had a wild streak in her?" Cassie mocked.

"Well, you should've known, we used to get into all sorts of trouble when we were little. Like that time when we jumped off the roof, wanting to fly. Or that time we decided to have babies, and stole the kittens… then had to give them back?" I said, laughing.

"Wow, you two were regular brats" Belle chimed in, as we all began to laugh again.

I looked up to see Henry and Ric awkwardly sitting watching us, and I knew that if they were playing a sport or driving a car, they would've been chatting away just as easily. Or maybe, they just needed to sit there in silence, maybe that was how boys worked things out.

Wrinkling up my nose as I pondered the confusion that boys managed to create, I saw that Luke was watching the group, but he looked to be a million miles away, lost in his own world.

He was still a mystery to me. While years of living with Henry had taught me to understand a certain type of male, and spending time with Dalby today had introduced me to the mind of another kind, Luke was different again. He appeared to be a loner, he thrived off intellectual interaction, yet he seemed so hell bent, towards the end of the day, at keeping us together, making us stick it out as a group.

And then, there was the way he kissed me. The way he'd pinned my body against the wall, out of loyalty, out of love, who knew? The desire was thick in his eyes that time, his want for me, and my want for him. He was Lucas Holden, known to me at nine this morning as the schools nerd. Now he was so much more.

Maybe it was because he had no real, actual friends. Maybe it was just who he was. Maybe he, like the rest of us, needed to find those people who just, understood. Maybe he'd found them, in us?

Either way, the more I stared, the more I felt my face heat up, and the more I felt weird, unknown feelings in my stomach.

There was definitely something mysterious about that boy. And I knew deep down, it would take more than a Saturday in detention to figure him out.

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How do girls do it so easily? I thought to myself as I shifted slightly, hoping the awkwardness would ease soon, as my eyes remained captivated by the three teenage goddesses who sat in the room, oblivious to their surroundings, laughing and chatting. We'd banded together for an hour, but we'd fallen apart once more.

I snuck a sidelong glance at Henry who was sitting just as awkwardly next to me, before turning my attention back to them. So we didn't have that much in common. He was a pretty boy, and I was a dress down for every occasion of my life kinda guy. The geek, I mean Lucas, was completely opposite to the both of us, yet for a short time he had had us all speaking.

Then Hyde had come in and possibly ruined everything that we'd all worked so hard to create.

And now Luke…Groaning inwardly, I suddenly realised that I'd called him Luke, like we were friends. He was now lost in his own universe, pondering the many possibilities of life on other planets. Probably wondering if that's where Hyde had come from. Another planet in another world, where everyone is spiteful and bitter and angry because they wasted their own lives, and therefore have to ruin the lives of innocent (and in some cases, not so innocent) teenagers.

Another couple of minutes passed in silence between Henry and I, and I felt like I was going to explode. Before I knew it, I had shoved Henry in the direction of Lucas and sat him down in a chair, whilst pulling out a complete deck of cards from my pocket.

"Poker." I grunted out. "You both know how to play?"

Their initial response was to look at me like I was mad, but I was more than used to that look by now. I rolled my eyes at them before pointing down to the table towards the cards, hoping to emphasise the question.

Alas, no luck. They both looked at me blankly. Obviously they've never been to a poker night at one of my mates houses.

Laughing to myself, I realised of course they wouldn't have, that would mean actual interaction with people I considered acquaintances, and before today that was unheard of.

Before today, I mused before quickly asking again "You both know Poker rules, right? Well, how bout we bet on them?" I said, nodding my head towards the girl. "Winner gets to choose partners for the dance that's coming up."

Before today, I'd never have even thought of such a thing. Now, as I looked at the smirks that had formed on the guys lips, and the look of horror, mixed with humour that had appeared identically on the three girls faces, I realised maybe I didn't want it to go away either.

Maybe I was more than a little content with the way things were panning out. Maybe this was the start of something that could actually make me believe in something.

Maybe, I just wanted a chance to be alone with one of those particular girls. Just like Henry wanted his chance, and Luke wanted his chance. We all knew it, so did the girls. But we had to keep up pretences, just incase.

"So, you in?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow and smirking back at Luke and Henry.

"Hell yes." They said together, as all three girls shrieked at the idea of their lives being played with like that.

"Let's play."

-

-

-

Typical, I thought, rolling my eyes but screaming aloud like Cassie and Maddie. Boys are always playing with girls heads and hearts. Always breaking girls hearts. Even Luke could be a heartbreaker if he tried, especially under the wings of Dalby and Henry. They'd be indestructible if they teamed up against the female population of the world who valued looks above all other things.

However, they fell to their knees when it concerned us. They held no power over us. No, it was us who wielded power over them.

But maybe it would be fun, seeing how this panned out. Even though I knew we'd sealed out fates on the rooftop at lunchtime. Looking between Maddie and Cassie, we all began to smile, imagining what the dance would be like… hell, what school will be like on Monday morning.

Then, with that singular thought, my face clouded over with doubt, as storm clouds filled my mind.

I mean with just us here today, things actually seemed as if they would work. We all eventually acted like the people we are… not the people we pretend to be. But on Monday, things might go back to the way they were. Would Maddie become Matilda again, and walk by me in the hallway, ignoring me? Would Cassie skip first period every morning, would Luke still be that kid who sat up the front paying attention to the teachers every word, not showing that he had even an inch of coolness or spite that we'd all seen in him today?

Would Dalby get kicked out of school for not even bothering to turn up… or for some petty crime of passion in the heat of the moment, when he acted like he couldn't care less, when really, he'd shown us today that he did? Would he ignore me, say that I was just another notch on his conquest list?

Today, we'd all seen other sides to one another that had been unknown to all of us. When I'd been spending that time with Lucas, I hadn't even aware that that simple part of me existed. The part that yearned for learning and for books, and for intellectual conversation with someone other than myself, the part that actually wanted the conversation to continue.

Or the part of me that found out she has more in common with Matilda Hunter than I ever thought possible. That I can laugh with her harder and longer than I could with my oldest of friends.

And especially, the part of me that had kissed Dalby for death life, and clung to him as if nothing had mattered in the world. The part of me that had smiled shyly when I'd been called his girlfriend… and hadn't bothered to contradict anyone.

What if that all disappeared on Monday morning as we walked into school separately?

I turned to speak to Maddie and Cassie about this, but their somewhat amused, somewhat scared faces were directed elsewhere. Following their gaze, I found them watching the three boys, concentrating as hard as I could imagine they'd ever done (except for Lucas, that is) as they studied the cards in their hands.

I couldn't help but snort. It was ridiculous. Stupid. Borderline crazy even.

Cassie and Maddie turned to look at me, but my snort had not interrupted the boys. They remained locked in the game.

"What?" I asked Cassie and Maddie as they stared at me.

"Why'd you snort?" Cassie asked, somewhere in between curiosity and laughter.

Somehow, their initial looks had eased my worries about Monday. Now all I could think about was…

"What if Dalby or Luke make Henry and Maddie go to the dance together?"

Cassie started laughing along with me, while Maddie's face had turned pale white.

Somehow, I knew everything would be okay.

-

-

-

There was one thing running through my mind, and one alone. Win. Because then everything would fall into place. For me at least.

It had been Dalby's idea. And if I won, then it wouldn't look any more suspicious if I said I wanted to take Cassie with me purely because I'd seen Dalby and Belle looking at one another, kissing one another all day, and like I would take my sister.

Was there a weakness in Lucas' face that showed me he was bluffing? Was there a movement in Dalby's eyes that proved he had the worse cards than me? Was there anything aside from my gut feeling that told me this game was mine, and she was mine?

There had to be, because Belle and Dalby, well, they were technically together now (by Maddie's standards at least) and Lucas being able to take Matilda to the dance with him, it was a nerd's wet dream.

Well, maybe Lucas was a cool nerd. But he would still love to take Maddie with him. And I had a feeling she wouldn't be so worried about him taking her either. Not after that scorching kiss they shared.

And that would leave me to pick poor Cassie. Which would let me prove to her that I wasn't a fake like she tended to believe. I mean, she'd accepted everyone else here for who they were, but still managed to find faults to call me on. It was like she purposely pushed me out of the friendship, bonding circle we'd had going on today, despite the numerous times we'd managed to be left alone, just me and her.

And while I'd loved the fact that I never planned for it to happen, it kept on happening. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was a sign of how much she didn't want to be around me, I thought, sighing sadly. I couldn't forget that kiss though, and her lips on mine. That had to mean she felt something, even if it was the tinniest bit of feeling. Something is always better than nothing is.

I looked up over to the girls who were still laughing hysterically at something or other. They had made it so easy to be around one another. They had just fit.

Guys never managed to make it that easy. Fitting always took a long time. Many hours of bonding had to occur over a play station game before you could call each other friends. Although this poker game was beginning to open us up. We were pretending to place bets, each of us holding our poker faces strong. Each of fighting to win. Each of us, I suspected, wanting to win so badly.

I guessed we all had our own reasons for wanting to win this. Maybe it was to prove something to the girls. Maybe, more importantly, it was to prove something to each other. Like a trial of some sort, to prove that we could actually be friends.

Suddenly, the girls were around us, their stuff with them. Maddie had linked arms with Belle, and the three of them stood with these goofy grins, their faces red from laughing.

"Now or never boys." Belle said, winking at us. "It's five. Time to go."

"Right." Dalby said, taking control once more. "This is it. On three, we show our hands."

"One…" I heard Cassie sigh.

"…two…" I felt her eyes on me.

"…three…" I looked up and our eyes locked momentarily. I knew I had won as Dalby swore under his breath and Luke groaned. Two pair, with jacks and eight's is a pretty good combo.

And she knew.

"So," Dalby said, never missing a beat, never one to break down after a loss. "Who goes with who?"

"That," I replied, standing up and getting my bag "Is something you'll find out on Monday." I finished, smiling at everyone, as I walked past their annoyed faces.

Sometimes, messing with people is just too much fun.

-

-

-

Walking out into the fresh air, I knew that to anyone, who simply passed by, we would simply look like six teenagers who had come out of detention. But to us, something had changed.

Dalby, Henry and Luke had hung back behind us girls, all shuffling along, not willing to meet one another's gaze, but willing to stare at us three girls who walked infront of them, heads held high, bright smiles on our face.

Once again, I could feel Henry Hunter's gaze fall strongly on me. As if he were still trying to figure out my complex existence. But instead of feeling annoyance, I felt a weird kind of happiness. An unexplainable kind of happiness, that would simply have to sort itself out as time went on.

But happiness turned to dread as we approached the doors to the outside world. The world where freedom reigned, the world where everything could, and possibly would, fall apart once more.

Slowly, we made those steps outside together.

"So…" Maddie began, unlinking her arm from Belle's and walking to stand infront of us, essentially forming a circle. "What happens now?"

"Well, we're free you see. I don't know about you, but I'm getting the hell away from here. But you could have some weird fetish about staying in school… but hey, that's none of my business." Dalby joked, but you could hear that he was somewhat scared behind his words.

"No dick head. I mean, what happens on Monday?" Maddie continued, her large eyes, for the third time that day, conveying honesty and vulnerability.

"I don't know." Belle said slowly, suddenly realising that sometimes there just wasn't a right answer.

"Right." Maddie said, sounding more than a little hurt. "Well, there's my Mum. Come on Henry, we're going home." She said sternly before walking away rather quickly.

I sighed to myself thinking that some things never change.

"Tomorrow." I yelled out after her. "My house. You remember where it is right? It hasn't changed since primary school. Meet me there at 11. I've got something to show everyone." I yelled, as I saw Maddie smile then nod, before waving goodbye quickly.

I turned to face everyone else.

"Here's my address. It's pretty easy to find. You need to see this too. Maybe then today will make more sense to everyone." I said, handing out sheets of paper I'd prepared earlier.

"You really think this can be explained?" Lucas asked skeptically.

"If you know the right movie, then everything can be explained." I replied as I winked at him, before waving goodbye and going to meet my own Mother.

Hopefully tomorrow would do the trick, I thought to myself as I climbed into the front seat, shutting off my mind from my mothers words.

-

-

-

AN: Thanks Kate, you're awesome! Yay, only two more to go. Sunday, and Monday… but should I write the dance too? Who knows, not me, that's for sure. This story hasn't exactly been created in the most structured way. Don't ask. As always, please read and review.


	11. Chapter 11: Sunday

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. Not the quotes used, nor the song. Enjoy guys.

-

-

-

**Don't Forget About Me**

_Chapter Eleven: Sunday (aka The REAL Breakfast Club)_

_"...And these children  
that you spit on  
as they try to change their worlds  
are immune to your consultations.  
They're quite aware  
of what they're going through..."  
**David Bowie**_

-

-

-

I sighed, as I looked up at the two-storey house that loomed in the distance. Was I really ready to go back there? Was I really ready to return to a world I'd left behind all those years ago? To give up my status, my popularity, my life? Before I had the chance to answer that question truthfully, I felt Henry grab my elbow forcefully as he pulled me towards the house.

"God Henry" I said, wrenching my arm out of his tight grip "Anyone would think you actually like this girl."

Henry shot me a look before adjusting his shirt for the millionth time that morning.

"Henry." I snapped "Calm down. It's just Cassie. The girl we've known forever. Everything will be fine." I said, hoping that Henry would listen, and just give himself a break.

"Maddie" Henry said, stopping in his tracks as we reached the bottom gate "Lets just go home and forget any of this ever happened"

"Henry Hunter, you seriously like this girl." I said, turning to face him. "You're falling head over heels." I said, slightly shocked. "And like I'd actually let you run away from that. Not only would you regret it forever, I'd have to put up with your bitching and moaning and I do not have the time for that." I said, walking behind him and pushing him towards the front door.

"So get your butt in there mister, and woo her!" I said, as I rang the doorbell and poked my tongue out at Henry who pouted back at me.

"Maddie, Henry." Cassie's mum said politely as she opened the door "It's lovely to see you again. Nice to have some normal people arrive this morning, Cassie's already had a very broody young girl, a boy that scared her younger sister and…"

"Thanks Mum" Cassie said sharply as she appeared suddenly at the doorway. "Hi Maddie, Henry, come in. We're all ready and waiting."

"Oh yeah, Maddie couldn't decide on what to wear this morning, that's why we're so late." Henry babbled, as Cassie gave him a 'Yeah okay' look, rolling her eyes then dragging me next to her.

"Guess who is extremely excited about seeing you today?" She practically squealed.

"That would be your mum." I replied as she led Henry and I up the stairs. "She practically invited me to live here."

"I know, she thinks I'm in a funk where I make friends with the 'artsy' types, and she doesn't like them." Cassie laughed "But no, I wasn't referring to her."

"I'm going to pretend that it was though" I replied as I walked into a large living room.

Belle was sitting next to Dalby. Just close enough to signify something, but not too close to raise eyebrows. And Luke was sprawled on the floor, but his eyes met mine as soon as I entered the room, sending shivers down my spine.

"So can we get this show on the road?" Dalby said impatiely, as Belle elbowed him in the side.

"Already whipped I see?" I commented as I sunk into the lounge, and looked at Cassie who was digging for something.

"Patience is a virtue," Lucas said from the floor, as Dalby went to retort, but Belle stuck her hand over the top of his mouth.

"This is why we're all here today." Cassie said mysteriously turning around. "We needed to watch this before we decide anything, about tomorrow, about the rest of the year. About who we are."

"Oh I knew you'd do this." I squealed happily "_The Breakfast Club_, right?"

"Got it in one." Cassie said, putting in the DVD as everyone started talking at once.

"A movie…?" Belle asked

"Oh no" Henry groaned.

"Shh" I said, as the opening credits came onto the screen.

_Saturday, March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois. 60062. _

_Dear Mr. Vernon... We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong, what we did was wrong. _

_But we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are, what do you care? _

_You see us as you want to see us... in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. _

_You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Correct? _

_That's the way we saw one another at seven o'clock this morning. _

_We were brainwashed…_

"That's us. Right there" I said loudly, as Cassie paused the movie.

"Uh, we're eighties teen icons?" Belle said, raising an eyebrow in her typical manner.

"No" I said, sitting up and looking around the circle. "We're the cliches. I'm the princess, Ric is the criminal, Henry is the athlete, Luke is the brain, and you two" I continued, looking between Cassie and Belle "You make up the basket case."

Everyone opened their mouths to speak, but I cut them off.

"He says it. 'In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions.' That's all we are in highschool. That's what we walked into that library yesterday believing." I finished, looking at their stunned faces.

"Okay, can we just watch the movie before she gets even more smarter?" Luke joked, which lightened the mood instantly.

"Fine" I pouted, sitting back into the lounge. "Just don't get annoyed at me for quoting it."

-

-

-

_I have such a deep admiration for guys who roll around on the floor with other guys. _

_You'd never miss it. You don't have any goals. _

_Oh, but I do. I want to be just like you. I figure all I need is a lobotomy and some tights. _

_You wear tights? _

_No, I do not wear tights. I wear the required uniform. _

_Tights. _

_Shut up!_

I couldn't help but laugh aloud, which forced Cassie to pause the movie, as everyone turned to look at me.

"Okay Henry" Belle said "I know that bit was funny, but seriously?"

"Sorry," I apologised. Sitting back into the chair.

"That's it?" Cassie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh right. It just reminded of that fight, in the library. When Dalby here got in my face about football being for gay guys." I said, looking between them all.

"And you punched him." Luke laughed.

"It seems like a million years ago" Matilda said wistfully, putting an arm around Cassie and hugging her close.

"It feels like a million years ago too." Belle agreed, as Dalby nodded quietly.

"I thought I'd never admit this, but you have one hell of a punch." Dalby said quietly looking down, as Cassie and Matilda saw 'aww' in unison.

"That is never to be repeated." Dalby threatened us all; much like Matilda had done yesterday.

"Or what? You'll turn into a bad boy and cut class?" Belle mocked as Dalby glared at her "Too late for that hun."

"Did you just call him 'hun' Belle?" Matilda asked, as she and Cassie stifled their giggles.

"Yeah, we're trying out pet names until something sticks. I've already gone through muffin and cupcake this morning." Belle replied sarcastically, which set Matilda and Cassie off into fits of laughter.

"No seriously" Cassie said once they calmed down "Its good that you two found one another."

"And what are we?" I interrupted, motioning between Lucas and myself "Invisible."

"Yep." Cass replied, poking her tongue out at me.

"I feel so insulted." I said, turning to look at Lucas who was nodding in agreement.

"Oh don't be boys." Matilda said "I'm sure eventually we'll find some use for you. And then we'll have a reason for finding you."

"Other than the fact I'm your twin brother" I replied, poking her continuously until she surrendered.

"Fine. I'm glad to have you as my brother." She said, before gently adding "And I'm glad Lucas was there yesterday."

"I'm also that you were there yesterday." Cassie said, "Otherwise I would never been able to abuse you. And tell you that personally" She said attempting to whisper "I do think footballers are kind of…gay."

I shot her a look, but she just giggled at me before continuing "But that's okay, because you're good at football. And you look cute in short shorts." Cassie said, blushing slightly as she looked away from the shocked gazes everyone was now sending her.

"Well don't stop there." I said, smirking at her "Please, I'm a big fan of flattery."

"I think not Hunter." Dalby said "Your ego is big enough as it is."

"Thanks for the compliment." I scoffed at him, as Cassie quickly used the moment to begin the movie again.

I was more than a little disappointed. The dark, annoyed, angry Cassie from yesterday had gone, and in her place was someone who was happy. Someone who giggled along with my sister as they shared secrets, despite the fact that the movie was still running.

What remained was the twelve year old Cassie that had plagued my memory so vividly during the first year at boarding school. The self-assured girl who fought for what she believed in, who giggled like a kid with Matilda. Who wasn't afraid to speak her mind… no matter what was floating around there.

This was the Cassie I knew and loved. The Cassie that would tell me straight to my face, with the same spunk she'd always had, that she thought footballers were gay, but I looked cute, so it was okay. That's the Cassie I wanted in my life. That was the girl I was going to take to the dance with me, the girl who would awkwardly shuffle out of her front door in a stunning dress, and stand timidly until I reassured her over and over that she was simply the most beautiful person in the world.

This was the Cassie I was going to hold in my arms, protecting her from the evils of the world. The Cassie I was going to kiss, over and over.

-

-

-

_All right, what about your family? _

_Oh mine? It's real easy. _

_Stupid worthless no good goddamn free loadin' son of a bitch, retarded big mouth know it all asshole jerk! _

_You forgot ugly lazy and disrespectful_

_Shut up bitch! Go fix me a turkey pot pie! _

_What about you dad? _

_Fuck you. _

_No, dad, what about you? _

_Fuck you. _

_Is that for real?  
_

_Wanna come over sometime?_

I flinched unconsciously as the harsh words were spoken on the screen, which made Belle turn to look at me, her dark eyes filled with concern.

"You okay?" She murmured gently, taking my hand in hers and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

I nodded a little, before turning to face the screen. I could still feel her eyes on me though, boring holes into my brain, trying to figure me out. I sighed before looking her in the eyes, a move that shocked her. I could tell. Her dark eyes became a little wider, and her forehead creased, and her mouth formed into this perfect little worry frown.

It's a little amazing, a lot freaky, how much you can tell about someone after spending the night with them. Belle didn't want to be alone yesterday, and neither did I. And somehow, we'd just managed to wind up spending the afternoon together. The afternoon had become night before we'd realised, and then it was three in the morning, and we were sitting up in her room talking about the eternal question: Pearl Jam or Nirvana?

I never imagined that I'd be able to speak to someone like that. Especially not a girl. I hated to sound like a cliché, but it was the truth. I always imagined it'd be me against the world. You know, the Aussie battler tale, but now, it seemed as though anything was possible.

I even told Belle that last night. And she hadn't laughed in my face. She sat up from the floor and hugged me. It was as simple as that. Words, they weren't a necessity.

"You're not okay." She said, a little louder, as I sighed, realising that everyone else would now be paying attention to us.

"Not really." I said, hoping the tone of my voice would ward them from asking any more questions.

No such luck.

"Why did you flinch just then?" Belle asked, her eyes meeting mine once more.

"It just felt a little too close to home, that's all." I replied, hoping that they'd now be satisfied and leave me alone.

"With Bender?" Belle continued ruthlessly. Apparently she would not rest until I told her everything. And in telling her, what I really had to do was bite the bullet and tell everyone. Not fun. Not fun at all.

"Yeah." I said, nodding, shifting slightly. "Not that he uses his cigars to give me burn marks, but I can definitely relate." I said rather vaguely, as they all continued to stare at me.

Matilda opened her mouth, but I cut her off before she could say anything. "Its not a big deal. I've dealt with it my entire life. And the last thing I want to do is go into specifics about how my dad comes home most nights so drunk he can hardly walk straight. And I don't want to turn this into a pity party, about how poor Dalby had to grow up like that. I don't want your pity." I finished harshly, turning to look at the TV screen, waiting for Cassie to press play again.

"Well how about our friendship?" Cassie said quietly, as everyone turned back to the movie.

I sighed once more as Belle squeezed my hand again.

Maybe, just maybe, friendship could be on the cards. Only if I didn't screw it up.

-

-

-

I sighed as I watched his face twist beside me. What Cassie has said, it was like a universal peace offering from everyone. It was like one of those moments where we all slice our palms with a knife then declare ourselves blood brothers, bonded for life, but without the blood pouring from gashes.

It was like we'd actually declared ourselves as friends, which both frightened and exhilarated me. Because I never imagined myself wanting friends like these people. More importantly, I never imagined myself needing friends like them. People who challenged my views on the world, who challenged who I was as a person.

People like that were rare, and yet here, I'd found five of them. All because of a stupid Saturday detention.

Maddie and Cassie were unlike any other people I'd know in my life. Matilda, once you got through all the layers of bullshit and make-up she'd built up to hide the pain and suffering she's dealt with in her life, she was actually a really nice person. Not to mention occasionally witty and somewhat hilarious when it came to ganging up on the boys.

And Cassie? She was more like me than either of us cared to admit. As soon as I'd walked into her house, seeing the look her mother gave me, I knew we shared the same life. Almost. The trophy wife mother, with the tanned, tall, almost too good looking father, and the sibling, older in my case, younger in Cassie's case, who can do not wrong in the eyes of the parents.

Then , in the movie, Allison spoke words that touched my heart.

_Its unavoidable. It just happens._

_What happens?_

_When you grow up, your heart dies.  
_

_Who cares?  
_

_I care. _

I let out a strangled sob, which I quickly tired to cover up with a coughing fit. Unfortunately, they'd already shown how people do that in the movie, so all eyes fell on me as Cassie once again paused the movie.

"Uh… it wasn't me?" I said sheepishly, trying to avoid their gaze. But whenever I looked away from one, there was another staring me in the face. It was like they were all ganging up on me. And I felt so crowded. Maybe I didn't want to have to explain myself to them.

"Its okay Belle." Matilda said finally "I felt it too."

"Huh?" I asked, completely confused.

"_When you grow up, your heart dies._" She repeated quietly, looking down "I don't want my heart to die. Not again."

"And there's nothing as scary as the idea of growing up, and facing the world on your own." Cassie added softly.

"But I've always been alone. And I've never needed people to help me on my way in life. I'm fine on my own." I replied defensively. Somehow, it'd become me against the world once again. Maybe I wasn't cut out to have friends in this life… or the next. Maybe I really was supposed to end up alone, bitter and sad.

"You're the kind of person that pushes people away, aren't you?" Matilda said rather harshly. I nodded, looking down away from her glare.

"Take it from someone who spent the last five years stupidly hanging around people she hated, its better to be alone than with people who bitch about you, but pushing away people who genuinely care about you? That's even worse." She said firmly, sitting back into her seat and pressing play on the remote before anyone could stop her.

I sat stunned for a long time after that. Matilda Hunter had no right to judge me, and judge how I acted when it came to people. Matilda Hunter had no right to judge me… but I'd judged her just as quickly. We'd all judged one another, from the very beginning. But each step that we'd taken together, we'd proven an assumption wrong.

Maybe that's what real friendship was all about. Finding out what's hidden underneath the layers of bull, the layers of make-up… finding out the truth about one another. Figuring out that in the end, we're not so different after all.

I sighed, sitting back into the lounge. This whole friendship thing was too new to me. Maybe by the end of the movie, there'd be some clarity. Or something.

-

-

-

Today is going so well, I thought to myself from my lounging position, as the character in the movie all sat around in a circle, talking about anything and everything, much like we had done yesterday afternoon.

Sure, there had been a few hiccups, but we were still all existing in the same room… sharing the same breathing space, and no one had called me 'Nerd boy', or something similar to that yet, so everything was pretty peachy from where I was sitting.

And Matilda, well, she'd even smiled at me when she walked in. Not like that was confirmation that we'd be running off into the sunset together, but it was a sign she was at least a little accepting of me. And despite everything, I needed to know that.

I'd spent all last night wondering how exactly she'd gotten under my skin so easily. Never in my life had a girl driven me so insane, in a good way, and in a bad way. I'd never wanted so much to tear someone down, to bring them back to reality, but I'd never wanted so much to get inside their head either.

I looked over at her, wondering if there was some truth hidden behind her smile, behind her looks, behind her body. In my head, I began to write a list of her positive and negative attributes, but then, her head turned, and her eyes met mine. And in them I saw everything. Why I hated her, why I liked her. Why she drove me insane. And why I was addicted to her.

Then they said something in the movie that caught my attention.

You think I don't understand pressure Claire? Well fuck you, fuck you! 

"Is it like that for you Luke?" Matilda said, pausing the movie herself this time, and turning to face me. "Is that how I portray myself to you?"

I shook my head, wondering how I'd dig myself out of the hole that the movie had dug for me.

"Up until yesterday, yeah, that's what it was like for me." I said finally, sighing as I looked away. "It's a pain, being smart and paying attention in class."

"Yeah right." Henry muttered under his breath.

"You really have no idea Henry." I glared at him. "You and Maddie came to our school and walked around on the first day as if you owned this place. And you didn't give a damn about anyone who didn't have the right hair colour, or who didn't play football." I snapped at him.

"And then, even below those people, were the brainy kids." I said harshly "Its like we were a subdivision. Even lower than the losers. All because we could answer questions."

I watched as Henry looked away from me, while Matilda's face twisted into a ball of self-loathing and pity.

"But we thought exactly the same thing about you guys too. We thought we were better than you, because we had the brains to get ourselves out of the hell that was Summer Bay High." I continued, looking at Maddie, who had half begun to smile by now.

"You guys are snobs." She remarked happily, clapping her hands together in delight.

"But that was before yesterday happened." I said, looking Matilda straight in the eyes. "And yesterday, it changed my entire view of the high school experience. For the first time, I wasn't just in a transition place before my life started. It was something I thought I could actually enjoy… if I were friends with you guys."

There was a moment of silence, before Belle moved down and pinched my cheek "Aww Lukey, of course high school will be fun with us as your friends." She mocked "But be careful with those two," She continued, gesturing between Ric and Henry "They aren't very nice to their friends." She said, laughing as both Ric and Henry opened their mouths to protest.

"Can we just finish this movie?" Cassie said exasperatedly, snatching the remote of Maddie and pressing play once more.

-

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I sighed as I watched them walk out of the hallway at the end of the day. Five strangers at the beginning of the day, but at the end, they were friends. And they'd realised that they were all alike, each and every one of them.

There was something symbolic in that. Something that teenagers go through at least once in their lifetime. The realization that they are not alone against the world.

And as I turned to see the same content look on each of my friend's faces, I realised that maybe I wasn't the only one who needed to know this too.

_Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. _

_But we think you're crazy to make us writethis essay telling you who we think we are. _

_You see us as you want to see us... _

_In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. _

_But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...  
_

_...and an athlete...  
_

_...and a basket case...  
_

_...a princess...  
_

_...and a criminal...  
_

_Does that answer your question?_

_... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club._

I sighed in contentment as I watched John Bender throw his fist in the air, as the end credits began rolling across the screen. I smiled to myself, closing my eyes momentarily, completely happy with how things had panned out.

Suddenly, the silence was broken.

"See, we are like them." Maddie said pointedly folding her arms across her chest "I told you guys so."

"Okay Princess" Luke said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Whatever you say."

"Well at least you believe me now." She retorted airily, poking her tongue out at him in a very immature, but truly Matilda fashion.

"So" Belle said, "What happens tomorrow?"

I looked between the now unsure faces, and didn't know what to do. Existing in our own little world, we were fine. Away from all the judgmental eyes of our peers, we were swell.

But under their harsh gaze, under their critical eyes, the fragile bonds of friendship might wither and die.

Someone needed to take charge. Someone needed to make sure that wouldn't happen. And just as I was about to open my mouth with some moving speech about how we shouldn't let the peer pressure get to us, from next to me, Maddie spoke.

"We turn up, and act like we have today. Who cares what they think about us? Honestly, I'm over it all. I mean, when my friends see me talking to you and Belle in the hallway, they'll probably think I've gone nuts, but it doesn't matter. Because they really aren't my friends. You guys are." She said bravely.

"But, if it makes anyone else feel better, like it will me, maybe we should be out the front, and face them together." She said, rather sheepishly, ducking so none of us would see her blush.

Too late.

"Aww" Dalby mocked, "The Ice Queen doesn't want to face the evil crowd without her big body guards. Don't worry girls, I'll protect you."

"Well aren't you just the biggest softie" Belle teased from next to him, before yawning and looking at her watch. "Wow, it's late."

"See, that's what happens when we keep stopping the movie, it takes us hours to get through it." Maddie said in mock serious, before looking at her own watch. "Henry, Mum's expecting us home like, now." She said quickly, standing up and walking towards the hallway.

"So tomorrow" Maddie continued, as everyone followed her down stairs "Eight fifteen, across the road from the school yeah?"

Always the organizer, our Matilda Hunter was.

We all nodded in agreement as we reached the front gate.

"Hey Cass," Maddie said, turning to face me "Today was fun, we really need to do this more often." She said, smiling and pulling me into a huge hug.

"Agreed." Belle said, pulling away from Dalby and joining Maddie and I in an all girl hug, as we broke out into giggles.

"Oh god" I heard from behind me "Here they go again" Henry mumbled.

I smirked as I pulled away from the girls.

"That reminds me Henry Hunter, what about the dance?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him.

"That, dear Cassie, is something you have to show up at eight fifteen for." He replied, smirking before he grabbed Maddie's hand and pulled her away. She yelled "BYE" out and turned to wave, still giggling in a delirious state of happiness.

"See you tomorrow Cassie Turner." Luke said, giving me a smile and a wave before shoving his hands in his pockets and wandering off down the road.

"Yeah, bye Cass." Belle said, hugging me again before grabbing Dalby's hand. As he turned around, I swore I could hear him singing a few bars of a song I'd heard recently. I watched him put his arm around Belle and pull her close, singing gently _"Don't you, forget about me… don't, don't, don't, don't… don't you, forget about me."_

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AN: Thanks Kate for proofing, you're a legend. And thanks for the reviews guys, I'm really happy you like the story, even if it is coming to an end. Only one more chapter to go, because I think its just right that I end it there. Put your faith in me, okay? Have I let you down before?


	12. Chapter 12: Monday

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. Enjoy

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**Don't Forget About Me  
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_Chapter Twelve: Monday  
_

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I sighed nervously as I looked up to see the large school looming in the distance. Then I felt my hand being squeezed, and I looked up to see Dalby smiling gently down at me. I smiled broadly up at him as he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close to him, kissing the top of my head.

"We're in this together, right?" I asked timidly, looking up to see him nod at me.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Belle Taylor." He replied gently, as he stopped and pulled me into a hug. "And just to let you know, that's not a line I use to get girls in the sack." He said, as I laughed quietly.

"Good to know I'm not just one of your conquests." I smirked up at him.

"Oh no, they are just my side dishes, you're the main course." He said, grinning cheekily as I groaned and pulled away from him.

"I'm not walking anywhere with you if you're going to be corny," I said, walking ahead of him. "I don't want to be known as 'the girl who made Eric Dalby the huge softie', my reputation could not handle it." I said in mock seriousness.

"What reputation?" Dalby scoffed at me as he ran to catch up.

"Oh, now you've gone and done it." I laughed, shoving him away from me and running out of his reach. Only he was too fast for me, and ran around behind me, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder.

"Eric Dalby" I squealed "Put me down this instant." I cried in between my laughs.

"Or what?" He replied nonchalantly, tickling my stomach.

"Or…" I said, thinking quickly so it wouldn't appear to be the empty threat that it had begun as. Suddenly, as if a bolt of lightning had hit me, I remembered something. And I grinned evilly, and stopped wriggling under Dalby's hold.

"Or I'll tell everyone which band you knew every single song to when you were 13." I said, grinning as I watched his jaw drop in horror. He set me down and pinned me against a tree.

"You'll do no such thing Belle Taylor," He said, moving his body against mine.

"And why not?" I said, sucking in my breath as his lips moved closer to mine.

"Because if not…" He said, as his lips connected with mine.

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She tasted of chocolate and toothpaste, which was always an interesting combination. But she smelt so damn good; I couldn't help but pull her against me, and wrap my arms around her, deepening the kiss. Her lips moved against mine, and her hands became tangled in my hair, pulling me, if possible, closer to her.

One of my hands moved up and down her back, then under her shirt, as my tongue moved into her mouth, beginning to dance with hers, causing Belle to let out a moan, and pull back from me quickly.

"Dalby, we're in a local park, two blocks away from the school." She began, trying to control her breathing.

I was so distracted by the feel of her smooth skin underneath her shirt, and her red, swollen kissed lips, that I only managed to mumble a "So?" which came out sounding worse than I wanted it to.  
"So…" She said, pushing me on the chest and creating more space between us "If I'm going to get lucky… if you're going to get lucky," She said, poking me in the chest as I tried to gather her in my arms again "Its not going to be in a public arena." She said, shrugging off my advances and walking towards the school again.

I shook my head, which was still clouded by the lustful feelings I had towards this… girl… woman, before jogging to catch up with her, and draping an arm around her shoulder.

She smiled up at me as I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Trying to keep my hands off her was driving me more insane every minute I spent with her. So, having spent nearly an entire weekend around her, taking her in, learning her quirks, getting to know her, all I really wanted to do was pull her into the first broom closet I could find in the school and kiss her senseless. Then, something she'd said finally registered.

"So, I'm going to get lucky, am I?" I asked, smirking at she turned to face me.

"Only if you're very well behaved, and don't cut class once this week." She said, pausing mid conversation to turn to face me. "Then maybe we can discuss second base." She said, smirking at what I could only imagine to be a crestfallen look.

"Of course, there's always the option of waiting for marriage…" She continued as she practically skipped towards the school.

"You'd wait till marriage?" I asked her quickly as I caught up with her.

She nodded her head as she continued walking. "Yeah, I'd consider it…" She said, "If I were getting married this weekend." She finished, poking her tongue out at me again.

"Oh you are so going down." I said, putting her over my shoulder and running around, until suddenly, she wasn't laughing any more.

"There it is." She said finally, as I put her down and stood up to see the school right in front of us.

She sucked in a deep breath, and I took her hand, trying to calm her nerves.

"Not in this alone." She muttered, as she squeezed my hand, and together we walked toward our meeting spot.

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I was standing against a tree when I saw Belle and Dalby come out of the shadows, holding hands tightly with one another, sharing curious looks. I let out a sigh; they looked so natural with one another. Well, at least I thought they did. But to every other school kid around they, they were looking them up and down, wondering if it was some lame attempt at an early April fools joke.

I shook my head, people were so conceited. And naïve. And they were so absorbed in their own little worlds of hair and make-up, of sport, of brains, of being the rebel, that they hadn't bothered to look around and see what we saw now.

Mentally I kicked myself. We hadn't seen it until Saturday either. And it'd taken us all day to get to where we had left off, then a whole other day to get to where we were now.

And where were we exactly? I wasn't entirely sure. But I knew that by the end of the day, we'd either be united against an angry student population, or broken apart, any chance of survival blown to smithereens.

Maybe I was being a bit of a drama queen here, but to have your best friend suddenly back in your life, after years of silence, that called for drama and tension and intrigue. And nerves, because I could not control the butterflies in my stomach right now.

"You too?" Belle asked nervously as she and Dalby reached me. He offered me a small smile, while Belle let go of his hand and pulled me into a tight hug.

"No matter what happens, you and me, we're mates for life after this." She said firmly, and when I pulled away, I saw that she also had tears in her eyes.

"And why would anything happen today?" A voice said from behind me, and I turned around to see Maddie, Henry and Lucas standing together, watching Belle, Dalby and I.

"I don't know, you could turn back into the feared ice queen everyone loves to hate." Belle replied, a sarcastic smile playing on her face.

"You wish Belle Taylor!" She replied, the same smile on her own face. "You're just annoyed you can't be in the running for the most broody teenager in our year group any more." She quipped, smirking at Belle, who smirked back at Maddie.

And Henry, well, he was simply there, smiling that smile at me again. Watching me again. Waiting to make his move.

And then suddenly, the butterflies disappeared and I knew whatever happened, we'd all be okay.

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Cassie looked so damned nervous, I couldn't help but smile. She was so cute when she got nervous, she hugged her arms into her and bit her lip, tending to look more shy and nervous, but it all gave off the same feeling. And it made me want to hug her to me, and walk into that school with my arm around her, claiming such an amazing creature as my own.

And for the first time since Saturday morning, I felt that I could do something of the sort. I grinned goofily as I walked in front of them all, grabbing their attention.

"The time has come," I said dramatically, as Maddie giggled next to Luke, and Belle and Cassie rolled their eyes. It was nice to know that some things never changed.

"Ah, the infamous dance dates." Dalby said, smirking at me as I smirked back at him.

"You made a bet, and I won. Fairs fair that I'm allowed to follow through." I replied all knowingly.

"Yeah," Cassie said from directly in front of me, a fiery look in her eyes "But what happens if we protest to these pairings?" She asked, taking a step forward, challenging me to take the bait. She bit her lip and looked up into my eyes, and I couldn't help what happened next.

"Oh, I'm fairly sure the only one that will feel put out is Maddie, and like she actually has a choice in the matter." I said, staring down at Cassie, who appeared to be vulnerable again.

"Hey" Maddie said from behind us, breaking the moment, at least for now "That's not fair."

"And the Ice Queen returns" Belle muttered under her breath, as Maddie broke out into a grin.

"Got ya." She said, smiling, as she pulled Lucas by the wrist.

"Come on nerd boy, I do believe we've got biology first, and I'm going to need some major tutorage if I even begin to hope to get into University."

"Bye guys" Luke said, waving at us.

"See you at lunch" Maddie yelled over the chatter as she and Luke disappeared into the crowd.

"And then there were four." Belle said. "Okay Dalby, lets make a half decent man out of you."

"Aww do we really have to?" He replied, as Belle rolled her eyes at Cassie and gave us a short wave.

"Then two." Cassie sighed, a little sadly.

"Chin up girl." I said, taking her hand and interlocking out fingers "At least you got stuck with the hottest guy in school, who is, by the way, taking you to the dance." I said shortly, leaning down to kiss her before she could protest.

"Well… if there is kisses involved" She said, smiling after I'd pulled away, "I guess I could handle it." She finished, nestling herself into my body.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." I said, walking into school, ignoring any strange looks I was receiving. Nothing could bring me down from this high.

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"School was never that much fun." Maddie squealed as we walked out of biology together. "Now I actually have a reason to go to biology instead of skipping class to shop." She continued excitedly as we reached her locker.

"Yeah, but I don't think I've ever gotten into that much trouble in a class either." I replied, leaning against the locked and smiling down at her, watching her animated face smile back at me.

"Being bad feels pretty good, doesn't it?" She smirked up at me as she shut her locker door gently and leant against it.

"Did you just quote the movie?" I asked, and groaned as she nodded.

"Hey, in my defense, you knew it was from the movie." She said, poking me as I began tickling her.

"Matilda." I heard someone squeal in a high pitched voice, and we both spun around to see three girls staring at us. Beside me, Maddie's face fell, and I could only imagine how painful this was about to be for her.

"We need to talk." The dark haired one said, walking over towards Maddie and pulling her roughly away.

"What are you doing with him?" She said, in a not so hushed tone. "Do you have any idea what hanging out with Lucas Holden will do for your creed in this school? You were a shoe in for Prom Queen and everything…" She said, letting out an exasperated breath. "You're not ill, are you?" She said, putting her hand to Maddie's forehead as Maddie simply rolled her eyes.

"Well something must be wrong, you'd never be caught dead with people like him." She continued, glaring at me.

"You know what?" Maddie finally sighed, "I don't want to deal with this. Seriously, grow up, will you?" Maddie snapped at her "Like it really honestly matters about my 'creed' in the school! I don't give a damn, why should you?" She said, smirking at her friends shocked expressions. "Now I'm going back over there, so Luke and I can hang out. I really don't want to see you ever again, so do us all a favour and go away." Maddie said, walking away from her now former friends.

"No one will ever want to hang out with you again Matilda Hunter." The brunette screamed across the hallway, having obviously recovered from the shock of Maddie's revelation.

"Oh no, how ever shall I go on?" Maddie replied mockingly as she joined me again, rolling her eyes and smiling brightly up at me. I'd never met someone brave enough to do that. To me, this girl was one of a kind, and I needed to let her know that.

"You're amazing, you know that, right?" I said, looking down at her.

"Yep. And I'm pretty damn gorgeous too." She smirked.

"You've been hanging around with Belle too much. Enough of the smirking." I said, as Maddie laughed. I looked over to see her former friends still glaring at us.

"Wanna give them a show?" I said, leaning down, whispering in her ear. She nodded up at her, her eyes becoming wide. "But how exactly."

She knew though, as our eyes locked. And she knew.

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I swallowed as I watched Luke lean down, his eyes locked on my lips. My heart beat harder in my chest, and my stomach was in knots. His hands reached around my waist, pulling me towards him slowly. My body fit into his perfectly, and as our lips gently touched, I threaded my hands around his neck and into his hair, my tongue ran across his lips, before I leant up into him, kissing him deeper, his body moving against mine, pushing my back into the lockers.

His arms pinned me against the lockers as his hand ran up and down one side of my body, causing me to moan into his mouth, as Luke pulled away from me slightly, resting his forehead against my own. We were both breathing so heavily, neither of us bothered to notice the hoards of school kids that had gathered to view our spectacle. Neither of us noticed the evil figure standing in the shadows.

"Nerds shouldn't kiss like that." I said, trying to calm my breathing as Luke smiled down at me again. "You should know by now I'm not your average nerd." He smirked, as I sucked in a breath, preparing myself for a second life altering kiss.

"Matilda Hunter and Lucas Holden." Hyde screamed from behind us. Luke jumped away from me and tried to look innocent, but failed miserably.

"Yes, Hyde?" I replied, pulling off the innocent act far more convincingly that Luke.

"Public displays of affection in the hallway are in no way tolerated in this school." He said calmly, stepping forward through the crowd. "It appears that detention this weekend taught you nothing. So I'll see you here next weekend, where we shall continue with your education." He snapped, stalking away through the crowd.

When he was safely gone, Luke looked over and caught my eyes, and we both burst into laughter, just as the bell for lunch rang.

"Lunch?" I said happily, taking his hand and threading my fingers through his.

"Sounds good to me." He said, pulling me close and kissing the top of my head.

"Guess who's joining you for detention?" I said happily to Dalby as I sat down next to him.

"The Grinch?" He said, smirking at me.

"Well yes, Hyde will be there, but so will Luke and I." I replied, tucking into my sushi.

"Oh yes." Cassie said from next to Henry "I heard a rumour about Matilda Hunter making out in the hallway with none other than Lucas Holden. So what they say is true."

Luke blushed, but I nodded happily.

"So I guess that makes the pairings for the dance pretty concrete?" Belle asked, as she looked at me in mild disgust, still not too sure about the whole sushi thing.

"What are you talking about?" Henry said, "I was going to take you." Henry said to Belle, smirking at Cassie hit him on the arm.

"I was kidding." He said, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her against him.

"Ohh" I said "I see someone else is playing happy families for now."

"Nice observation Maddie."

"This is kinda freaky." I said, a few moments later. "Us, all ending up like this."

"Maybe," Cassie replied, shrugging, "But maybe this was meant to be."

"You mean, like, we were destined to be friends?" I asked her.

"How else do you explain everything that's happened?" She replied.

" I don't know…" I replied, wondering how I really would explain what happened.

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_That's our story. Of finding one another, of fate, of destiny. That's our story of how we walked into the library as enemies, and walked out as friends, bound forever by our experiences, our feelings, our lives. _

And all you really needed to know about everything that had happened is that we found one another when we needed them the most.

The rest, as they say, is history.

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AN:…. And then there was one more to go. Click that button, you know you want to.


	13. Chapter 13: Dance

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Enjoy guys.

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**Don't Forget About Me**  
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Chapter Thirteen: Dance_

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"Come on Henry." Cassie said stubbornly as she attempted to remove him from the chair he'd been sitting in all night. "I wanna dance with you." She said, bringing out the puppy dog eyes.

Cassie one, Henry nil.

"God, why did you have to do that?" Henry moaned as he interlaced their fingers and kissed the top of her hand.

"Because it's irresistible and I know you'll give in to it." Cassie said happily as she pulled Henry from his chair and led him out onto the floor.

I smiled as I watched my brother and best friend dance up a wild storm. They'd both changed so much since that morning in the Library, when Cassie had uttered few syllables and simply drawn in her art book, and Henry, well, he'd been the jock we'd all grown to love and hate. But Cassie, she'd grounded him. She'd made him want something more.

Something we were all very grateful for.

Everything had calmed down after that Monday. At least, I liked to think it had. Not that any of my former friends spoke to me. I was shunned for eternity for even standing within breathing space of them. But I was okay with that. It really hadn't dented my social climb either. Because they were the forgotten ones. Not me.

All in all, it turned out as the best situation for all involved.

Okay, so maybe there was still a smidge of the teen queen in me… but why would you honestly want to throw it ALL away… especially when you can have the best of both worlds, and still come out on top? I sure as hell wasn't going to throw it away any time soon. I had a new appreciation for life… and for status and schoolwork and everything.

And I really had changed. I was a joyful person now. Not snarky or snappy or cruel. I was nice to everyone. Another plus on the side of social standing. When you weren't the hated one, those who had once hated you directed their hatred at others… such as my ex friends…

"Maddie, come on." Luke said from behind me, interrupting my thoughts about school domination.

"Huh?" I said, as I turned to look at Luke, as he ran his hand up and down my arm.

"We've gotta…" he said no so subtly, nodding his head towards the DJ.

"Oh, right." I said, winking back at him before turning to Belle and Dalby, who were snuggled up with one another on the other side of the table.

"You guys want anything… aside from a room?" I said cheerfully as Luke smirked at them.

Dalby coughed before taking his arm away from Belle.

"Hey," She said, "That was keeping me warm."

"Sorry" Dalby mumbled, as Luke made a whipping noise, and I laughed at them.

"I'm not the only whipped one here Lucas." Dalby said as I laughed even more.

"You're right." I said between breaths "You're all pretty whipped. Now, would you two lovebirds like anything or not? We're going to get refreshments."

"I think we'll be fine Maddie." Belle answered for the two of them before they became lost in one another again.

Maybe it was kind of weird, us being all paired off. And what was even weirder, was that Luke and I were the least couplely out of everyone. Sure… alone, and behind closed doors… it was a very different story… but in public, Luke had actually taught me to have fun, and to muck around. He even taught me to play Dungeons and Dragons… and I'm happy to report second time around, I whipped his butt at it.

Cassie and Henry, and Belle and Dalby, they were all doing the serious relationship thing. You know, the hours of phone calls at night, the finishing one another's sentences, and sharing those serious looks when they need to go and have a hushed conversation about something serious in their relationship.

Like I said, serious.

And Luke and I? Well, we were sneaking around behind their backs and plotting surprises at every turn. We were also mocking. Me, mocking! Never thought I'd see the day, but it had arrived.

I guess we've all really changed.

"Okay. Phase one complete." Luke said seriously, and I just had to laugh again.

"Yes Charlie, I'll be you're angel." I said seductively, sidling up next to him and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Uh, Maddie, we've got a plan." Luke said, trying to ignore my advances.

"But I'm alone in a dark space away from the vast population of the school with my partner in crime. Can't I just enjoy it for a moment?" I pleaded, pouting just a little.

"In a minute." Luke said hastily, as he chastely kissed my head "The final phase is about to begin."

Don't you just wanna take him home?

Together we ran up the stairs to where the DJ was situated, on the stage in the front of the hall. Luke tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around and yelled "WHAT?" over the loud music that was playing.

"WE NEED TO MAKE A REQUEST." Luke screamed, as the DJ handed him a piece of paper and motioned for us to write it down.

Luke scribbled down what I'd told him to write and handed the paper back to the DJ, giving him a thumbs up before we quickly ran back down the stairs and into the hall.

We walked across the hall calmly, and found everyone waiting for us at the table.

"Where have you guys been?" Henry said, taking a sip of his drink, "We were about to send out a search party."

"Oh you know… we had things to do." I said, sharing a knowing smile with Luke who smiled back at me, as the music in the background faded.

"You guys are up to something." Belle said, sitting up and looking between Luke and I.

"Us?" I said innocently… "Never."

"And this next song goes out to Summer Bay's very own Breakfast Club…" The DJ said smoothly "Good times had by all, we should do it again some time. Love the Princess and the Brain."

I smiled widely as the first few bars played sweetly.

Grabbing Luke's hand and standing up, I turned to see confused looks on everyone's.

"This is OUR song guys… come on." I said, as Luke led me onto the dance floor.

_Hey, hey, hey ,hey  
Ohhh... _

Won't you come see about me?  
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby

Luke pulled me into the middle of the dance floor then wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. I snuggled into him, my head leant on his chest, as the words and the music and the atmosphere consumed me, and all I could really hear was the beating of Luke's heart.

_Tell me your troubles and doubts  
Giving me everything inside and out and  
Love's strange so real in the dark  
Think of the tender things that we were working on_

I peeked over to see Henry and Cassie swaying slowly with one another. Her eyes locked with his, her hands playing with his hair, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist. I saw him lean down and whisper something in her ear, which made her smile and blush, and nod a little before leaning her head on his shoulder. They fit, Cass and Henry did. Like Mum and Dad had.

That made them right.

_Slow change may pull us apart  
When the light gets into your heart, baby_

_Don't You Forget About Me  
Don't Don't Don't Don't  
Don't You Forget About Me_

And Belle and Ric? Well, they were a little less… in love… than Henry and Cassie. Henry and Cassie had that whole 'star-crossed lovers' thing going on. They were big on fate and destiny. But Belle and Ric, they had the sizzling chemistry thing down. Even when they were dancing, they were baiting one another, with their eyes, with their lips. They were teasers, the both of them.

It made me more than glad that they'd found one another.

And that I hadn't pursued Dalby because of the bad boy thing.

_Will you stand above me?  
Look my way, never love me  
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling  
Down, down, down _

Will you recognise me?  
Call my name or walk on by  
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling  
Down, down, down, down

And then, Luke and I. Well, I've covered that one. And for the first time in my life, I'm not expected to be a certain someone, or to do certain things.

_Don't you try to pretend  
It's my feeling we'll win in the end  
I won't harm you or touch your defenses  
Vanity and security_

For the first time, I'm allowed to be me, and know that I'm loved for it just the same.

_Don't you forget about me  
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby  
Going to take you apart  
I'll put us back together at heart, baby_

That's the true value of friendship though, isn't it.

_Don't You Forget About Me  
Don't Don't Don't Don't  
Don't You Forget About Me_

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_Finis_

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AN: And it's over. I want to thank both Nicole and Kate for proofing this story at various stages, you guys were both awesome hugs.

That chapter wasa little different. I enjoy writing Maddie (duh!) And I wanted this to be about her, and what she'd learnt, because I always thought she'd done the most changing and learning in this story. I hope you guys didn't mind that the final part was how she saw the world now.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, and took the story in their stride. It may have been a little wacky at the beginning, but you all gave it a chance and for that I am extremely grateful. I would rattle of a list of names, but there are so many of you. I just want you to know, I enjoy writing these stories, but I enjoy it even more that I can entertain you guys by writing them. Even those who simply read them.

I hope I didn't disappoint with the last chapter either. I added it after a very lovely review, and well, I found the song a perfect ending.

Thank you once more :)


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